The number of people hospitalised with Covid-19 in Barking, Havering and Redbridge was five times higher in the days before the new lockdown was announced than it was before the March lockdown.

Government data shows that on October 27, there were 142 Covid patients occupying beds at the Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT).

On March 22, the day before the UK was plunged into its first national lockdown, there were only 28 coronavirus patients in hospital beds.

Official figures also reveal that since mid-October, hospital deaths from Covid-19 have been higher than they were in the days before the March lockdown.

In the seven days before the March lockdown, BHRUT reported 12 coronavirus deaths.

But in the last three full weeks of October, the number was consistently higher.

In the seven days up to October 13, BHRUT had 15 coronavirus deaths.

The following week, up to October 20, there were another 15.

In the seven days up to October 27 – the last full week of verified data – the trust had 20 Covid deaths.

Provisional data suggests that between October 28 and 30, there were a further 15 Covid deaths, but those figures have not yet been verified.

The Recorder reported earlier this week that whilst the spread of the virus had slowed down in recent weeks, numbers were still growing week-on-week.

The latest test data released by government shows that in the seven days up to October 30, cases rose 22 per cent from 415 to 506.

That increased Havering’s infection rate to 195 confirmed cases per 100,000 people – the highest it has ever been.

On October 26, the borough recorded its highest ever number of confirmed cases in a single day – 94.

On the day Havering’s infection rate rose to 195, it was reported that the UK would enter a second national lockdown.

The lockdown began on Thursday, November 5, but Covid-19’s incubation period means people continue to become unwell for several weeks after new measures are introduced, as patients can carry it for more than a week before showing symptoms.

When the first lockdown was imposed on March 23, Havering had 54 confirmed cases. However, its case numbers did not peak during the first wave until April 8, when it had 213 people infected.