The number of people with Covid in Kent's hospitals is at its highest level for seven months.

Data released by the NHS shows there are 162 patients in the county with the virus - more than double the 75 recorded just two weeks ago.

At the same time, Kent's infection rate has hit a nine-month high, with case numbers now matching those last seen in January.

The figures will come as a concern to health bosses ahead of the typically busy winter season.

In 2020, Covid patient numbers in Kent started to climb from just eight at the start of October to a peak of 1,314 on January 5.

Government advisers are hopeful that with so many of the population double-jabbed we will not see a repeat this winter.

But as case numbers continue to rise, calls are mounting for Downing Street to implement its Plan B restrictions, with a return to mandatory mask-wearing and working from home.

On October 23 last year, there had been 1,209 positive tests in seven days.

A year later, almost 7,000 weekly cases are being recorded.

Figures suggest Kent is slightly behind the national curve, with the speed of the weekly rise across England having slowed from a peak of 28% at the end of September to 5% on October 23.

In comparison, the county's increase peaked at 32% a week on October 20, and has fallen slightly since to 27%.

Health chiefs will hope the rise in cases continues to slow to keep patient numbers down and ease pressure on hospitals across Kent.

Currently, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells has the most Covid patients, with numbers more than trebling to 59 in a fortnight.

In East Kent, numbers have jumped from 17 to 51 across the same period, and in Dartford and Gravesham from 18 to 28.

The 24 Covid patients in Medway is just one more than two weeks ago.

It is not known how many of Kent's patients with Covid are in hospital because of the virus, and not because of other illnesses or conditions.

But figures for the south east last month revealed 74% of Covid patients across the region were being "primarily treated" because of the virus.

Applied to current numbers in Kent, it would mean there were 120 people in the county's hospitals because of Covid.

Reassuringly, as patient numbers have climbed, the number of people with the virus on a ventilator has remained stable.

Two weeks ago, nine of Kent's 75 Covid patients (12%) were being ventilated, and now 10 out of 162 are (6%).

At the peak of the second wave in January, 83 of the county's 1,314 patients (6%) were on ventilators.

While patient numbers and Covid rates are climbing, the number of people dying with the virus in Kent has fallen.

In September, 71 people lost their lives within 28 days of testing positive for Covid.

This month - up to October 27 - 33 deaths have been recorded.

Read more: All the latest news from Kent