The number of Covid-19 patients in hospital in two regions of southern England are heading towards levels recorded at the peak of the first wave of the virus, figures show.
In southeast England, 1,547 hospital patients with confirmed Covid-19 were reported on Wednesday, the highest number for the region since the end of April.
During the first wave, the number of patients in southeast England peaked at 2,073 on 7 April. At the current rate of increase, levels could be above this within a fortnight.
It is a similar picture in eastern England where 1,063 patients were reported Wednesday - again, the highest since the end of April.