Commenting on rising COVID-19 rates, NHS Providers deputy chief executive Saffron Cordery said:

“There is obviously a concern that the measures announced so far do not go far enough and we have been calling for fast and decisive action.

“When infection rates rise there is always a lag in those being translated into increased hospital admissions, more patients requiring ICU beds and sadly, but inevitably, more deaths. That is what we are now seeing.

“We should be led by the evidence on what works best to ensure that people with COVID-19 as well as other conditions are able to get the care they need. We should act swiftly and decisively to protect those patients, while recognising the real impact of severe restrictions on peoples’ lives and the wider economy.

“The government has a range of means to deal with that economic impact. Protecting lives must come first.

“It is for politicians to make difficult decisions based on the evidence and information in front of them.”