Fewer coronavirus patients are now being treated in Norfolk’s hospitals than at the height of the first wave of Covid-19.

Figures show the pressure on the county’s hospitals is slowly easing, amid the government’s publication of a roadmap out of lockdown.

NHS data shows there were 189 Covid patients in beds across all hospitals in Norfolk on February 23, 40pc lower than the 315 patients recorded the week before and 24pc lower than the first wave’s peak of 249 on May 3 last year.

The hospital with the most virus patients was the Queen Elizabeth (QEH) in King's Lynn, with 78 – 15pc of its total capacity.

There were also 54 virus patients in beds at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) and 36 at the James Paget University Hospital (JPUH), making up 5pc and 8pc of all patients respectively.

The Norfolk Community Health and Care Trust (NCHCT) recorded 21 Covid patients in beds, while the West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, had 17, down from 26 the week before.

The number of new Covid patients being admitted to hospitals has also continued to fall.

In the week leading up to February 21, there were 117 new virus admissions to hospitals in Norfolk, compared to 190 the week before – a fall of 38pc.

Just 12 patients were admitted with coronavirus across the county on February 20 and February 21, the lowest daily totals since November 27 last year.

On February 20, two virus patients were at the QEH, the NCHCT and the JPUH, while six were admitted at the NNUH.

But although the number of critical care beds occupied in the county’s hospitals is also on a downward trend, it is still higher than the average for the last five years.

There were 30 patients on critical care beds in the NNUH on February 21 – 68pc of such beds available.

At the JPUH eight patients took up 67pc of critical care beds, while the QEH saw 56pc of its critical care beds taken up by nine patients.

Norfolk’s hospitals are continuing to see high demand for general beds, with 90pc occupied at the NNUH and JPUH, while 91pc are taken at the QEH.

Our maps below show the pressure hospitals are under in the region.