HOSPITALS in England are being forced to divert patients elsewhere as available beds are running short during the second wave of coronavirus, it has emerged.

NHS figures show hospitals south of the Border told ambulance crews to divert patients somewhere else 44 times last week, the highest number since 2016.

With a large number of NHS staff themselves off work because of Covid-19, frontline workers are concerned services will face intense pressures over the Christmas period.

Hospitals in Leicester, London and Northampton are particularly badly affected, a Guardian analysis found.

Admissions have risen quickly, with 3000 more people in hospital across the UK than this time last week.

READ MORE: Coronavirus Scotland LIVE: January lockdown a 'possibility', Deputy FM warns

In England there are now 15,465 patients in hospital with the virus, a higher figure than at any other point during the second wave. It is below the record-high of 18,974 seen in April.

In the capital city, University College London hospital declared an “internal incident” on Tuesday as it had “insufficient capacity now for emergency and Covid patients”.

And in Northampton the general hospital had to cancel planned operations as the number of Covid patients it is treating grew to 50% more than the height it saw during the first wave.

Leicester’s hospitals are also treating more patients with coronavirus than they were in the spring.

Professor Christina Pagel, a member of Independence Sage, said hospital occupancy “may well exceed April’s peak”.

She said “many frontline NHS staff are exhausted, traumatised and demoralised”.

The professor added: “This will mean many more deaths to come – and this is all before the Christmas relaxation starts. It feels as if we are slowly but surely walking into a burning building on purpose, knowing it’s probably going to crash down around our heads.”

Across the UK as a whole the number of coronavirus cases have risen by 42% week on week. It was announced yesterday that large parts of the south and east of England will face the highest level of Covid restrictions from Saturday as they are placed into Tier 3.

READ MORE: Large parts of England to move into Tier 3 restrictions, Matt Hancock says

People in Scotland have been urged not to travel to or from Tier 3 areas in England over the festive period, and despite there being no legal changes to the Christmas bubbling plan the First Minister has stressed the safest way to enjoy the festivities is in your own household.

Restrictions are lifted between December 23-27 to allow three households to bubble – but it is recommended that two households are the maximum and overnight stays are not advised.  

Meanwhile, Wales and Northern Ireland have announced they will go into lockdown after Christmas to help the health service cope with an anticipated increase in cases.

Today in Scotland Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and East Lothian are being moved into level 3 restrictions following increasing case numbers in the areas.