10 people died with Covid on Christmas Day in Suffolk

Data released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) revealed that 38 deaths occurred in Suffolk across all settings, including care homes, private residences and hospitals in the seven days before December 18.

The figures include every death in which Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

More than 70% of those who died after catching the virus were within Suffolk's hospitals while 11 people died in care homes, according to the ONS data.

Stay home on New Year’s Eve, says intensive care doctor (2)

A further three people died at home during the seven days up to December 18.

The week up to December 18 saw the most deaths since May - however, the highest number recorded in Suffolk due to the virus was 93 at the end of April.

More recent data shows that 10 people tragically died in Suffolk on Christmas day due to Covid-19.

Provisional data shows that 42 people died from coronavirus in the seven days up to December 25 in Suffolk, however these numbers are subject to change.

In Braintree, Colchester, Maldon and Tendring, eight Covid-19 deaths were recorded in the week up to December 18.

Of those deaths, three happened in care homes and five in hospitals.

Nick Hulme, chief executive of East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT), which runs Ipswich and Colchester hospitals, previously said healthcare staff were "managing hour by hour" as they treat hundreds of patients with Covid-19.

Nick Hulme, chief executive of ESNEFT (Image: Archant)

He said: "It changes almost by the hour and the important thing is the staff have been incredibly flexible in terms of where they work and how they work.

"Care is safe. But it is tricky. It does mean that we are managing hour by hour in terms of making sure we can safely staff as many areas as we possibly can given the circumstances that we find ourselves in."

It was revealed yesterday that 327 people were being treated in Suffolk's hospitals with coronavirus.