This page is no longer being updated. The final weekly Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey release was published on 24 March 2023. Please search the ONS release calendar for the most recent ONS releases or see the Gov.UK Coronavirus Dashboard for latest healthcare data.
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Hospital admissions with COVID-19
Overall hospital admissions involving COVID-19 continued to increase
Weekly overall COVID-19-positive hospital admission rates and intensive care unit (ICU) and high dependency unit (HDU) admission rates per 100,000 people, England, week ending 9 August 2020 to 19 March 2023
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The overall hospital admission rate of patients with confirmed COVID-19 in England continued to increase slightly to 10.62 per 100,000 people in the week ending 19 March 2023. In the same week, the intensive care unit (ICU) and high dependency unit (HDU) admission rate of patients with confirmed COVID-19 remained low at 0.28 per 100,000 people.
The hospital admission rate for COVID-19-confirmed-patients is much lower now than early in the coronavirus pandemic, despite similar infection levels.
Last updated: 24 March 2023
Read more about this in UKHSA’s National flu and COVID-19 surveillance report
Hospital admissions by region
Hospital admissions increased in most English regions
Estimated coronavirus (COVID-19) positivity rates, overall COVID-19 positive hospital admission rates with intensive care unit (ICU) and high dependency unit (HDU) admissions, and number of deaths, by English regions, week ending 3 February to 19 March 2023
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In the week ending 19 March 2023, overall hospital admissions of patients with confirmed COVID-19 increased in the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, London, South East and South West. In the same week, admission rates decreased in the West Midlands and East of England, and remained similar in the North West.
In the week ending 13 March 2023, the infection rate increased in the North West, East Midlands and South East, and the trends were uncertain in the North East, Yorkshire and The Humber, West Midlands, East of England, London and South West.
In the week ending 17 March 2023, deaths involving COVID-19 decreased in the North East, Yorkshire and The Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, London, and the South East. In the same week, deaths involving COVID-19 increased in the North West, East of England, and South West.
There is a delay between a person becoming infected with COVID-19 and being admitted to hospital or dying, and this is reflected in the lags in trends. Deaths figures are the number of deaths registered in the time period. The number of deaths in each region will be affected by population size and do not necessarily reflect the rate of deaths.
The data used in the chart come from our Coronavirus Infection Survey, UKHSA's National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports, and our Deaths registered weekly in England and Wales, provisional.
Last updated: 28 March 2023
Hospital admissions by age
Hospital admissions remain highest for those aged 85 years and over
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In the week ending 19 March 2023, overall hospital admission rates for patients with confirmed COVID-19 in England remained similar for most age groups. Admission rates increased for those aged 25 to 44 years, 55 to 64 years and those aged 85 years and over. Admission rates decreased for those aged 75 to 84 years, and remained similar for all other age groups. In the same week, ICU and HDU admission rates remained similar for most age groups. ICU and HDU admission rates increased slightly for those aged 55 to 64 years and decreased slightly for groups aged 65 years and over.
In the week ending 19 March 2023, overall hospital admissions were highest for those aged 85 years and over, and lowest for children aged 5 to 14 years. This has been consistent throughout the coronavirus pandemic. ICU and HDU admission rates were highest for those aged 75 to 84 years and lowest for those aged 5 to 14 years. Although overall hospital admission rates have consistently been highest in the oldest age group, the highest ICU and HDU admission rates have varied across age groups.
Last updated: 24 March 2023
Read more about this in UKHSA’s National flu and COVID-19 surveillance report
Hospital admissions for COVID-19
Over 3 in 10 patients in hospital in England with COVID-19 in February 2023 were being treated primarily for COVID-19
Percentage of patients in acute hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 who are being treated primarily for COVID-19, by English regions, 18 June 2021 to 28 February 2023
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Between June and December 2021, patients being treated primarily for COVID-19 accounted for around three-quarters (75%) of patients in acute hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 in England. The proportion being treated primarily for COVID-19 started to decline at the end of 2021 and has consistently been less than 4 in 10 since May 2022. The proportion of patients being treated primarily for COVID-19 was 33% in February 2023. This reflects the change from Delta being the dominant variant to Omicron being the dominant variant. For patients with confirmed COVID-19 where it was not the primary diagnosis, COVID-19 may or may not have contributed to the reason for admission.
The proportion of patients being treated primarily for COVID-19 varies across English regions. In February 2023, London continued to have the lowest proportion of patients with COVID-19 being treated primarily for COVID-19 (16%). The South West continued to have the highest proportion and is the only region with more than half of patients with COVID-19 being treated primarily for COVID-19 (54%). This has been consistent since March 2022.
Between January and February 2023, the proportion of patients with COVID-19 being treated primarily for COVID-19 decreased for all regions except for the Midlands and the North East and Yorkshire where they remained similar.
Regional differences may be partly explained by the age of the populations. The South West has the oldest population, with around 1 in 9 people aged 75 years or over. In comparison, around 1 in 19 people living in London are aged 75 years or over. Older people generally are at higher risk from COVID-19, therefore more likely to be treated in hospital primarily for COVID-19 than younger people.
Last updated: 24 March 2023
Read more in NHS England’s weekly publication of COVID-19 admissions and bed occupancy data
Further information
Data on overall hospital admissions, and ICU and HDU admissions presented here are collected by the UK Health Security Agency and available on the GOV.UK coronavirus dashboard and national flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports. This data come from the Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) Watch surveillance system, which monitors the number of patients with confirmed flu and COVID-19 admitted to hospital and critical care units (ICU and HDU) in England. These data are provisional and subject to revision, and previous estimates may be updated in subsequent weeks.
To find out more about hospital admissions data visit our more information page.
More information on hospitals and health is available on each of the relevant nation's websites: Public Health Agency (PHA) for Northern Ireland, Public Health Scotland (PHS), and Public Health Wales (PHW).
Related links
- Visit our cost of living latest insights tool to find out the latest data and trends about the cost of living.