The number of patients being admitted to Suffolk's hospitals has continued to rise in recent weeks, while vaccination figures are continuing to rise too.

The East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust which runs Ipswich and Colchester hospitals saw a small rise in the number of patients it was treating.

The latest data covers up to August 22 when the hospital had 56 patients, 10 of whom were on ventilators this was up from the 50 patients the hospital was treating on August 17.

At West Suffolk Hospital the number of patients being treated rose from five on August 17 to 6 on August 24.

The figures also showed that there were no patients on ventilators at the hospital at this time.

Case numbers at ESNEFT have been gradually going up over the past few weeks.

Ipswich Star: Neill Moloney deputy chief executive of ESNEFTNeill Moloney deputy chief executive of ESNEFT (Image: Archant)

Neill Moloney , deputy chief executive of ESNEFT, said: “It’s vitally important that everyone continues to take COVID-19 safety seriously.

“We are currently seeing a rise in the number of Covid-19 admissions in our hospitals so we’re urging everyone to keep safe and help to keep down the number of hospital admissions.

“Anyone who hasn’t yet been vaccinated yet should get their jab as soon as they can. The vaccine is the best way to protect ourselves and others.”

The latest vaccination data showed that Mid Suffolk was the area of the county with the highest levels of vaccinations.

Currently, 91% of those over 16 have received their first vaccination and 84.5% have received a second.

Ipswich remains the lowest with 77% of residents having had one jab and 70.4% having received a second jab.

The news comes less than a month after 16 and 17 year olds were given the opportunity to get their first vaccinations.

Education secretary Gavin Williamson said on Thursday that he hoped a decision on vaccinating 12 to 15 year olds would be made “very, very soon”.

Gavin Williamson said the NHS is ready to go into schools to deliver jabs to that age group “if we get the get-go” from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

JCVI deputy chairman Professor Anthony Harnden said there are “many” arguments for and against jabs for younger children, and the committee will decide “in the children’s best interests”.