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The number of hospital patients battling coronavirus in Kent has more than halved in the last month.
NHS data shows the figure has dropped 55% to 550 across the county's sites - after spiking at 1,218 on January 9.
North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale believes the marked fall shows that lockdown and the vaccine roll-out are beginning to bear fruit.
"Everything at the moment is moving in the right direction - but we still have a long way to go, in my view," the Tory said.
"The effects of those vaccinations is undoubtedly beginning to be felt now, as well as the social distancing and all the other things."
Hospitals in Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells have seen the largest fall in Covid patients of almost 70%.
Trusts in Dartford and Gravesham, and Medway, have experienced drops of almost half across their sites over the same period, while East Kent Hospitals has 54% fewer patients with coronavirus.
At the same time as patient numbers falling, the county's Covid infection rate has plummeted and is now more than five times lower than it was at the start of the year.
On January 6 the rate stood at 746 weekly cases per 100,000 people. Within a month this had fallen 82% to 138.
Canterbury now has the lowest rate of any district in Kent, with the figure standing at 82 cases per 100,000 people - a fall of 86% over the last month.
Sir Roger added: "It would be lovely if everything could be open by Easter, but that may not be possible. The scientists will have to tell us when the right moment is.
"I don't think the Prime Minister should succumb to the pressure of the Tory right [and lift lockdown early].
"He should listen to the medical advice, and only listen to the medical advice.
"I'd sooner wait a month longer than necessary than lifting everything a month too soon, and risk seeing a fourth wave. "
While patient numbers have fallen fast, they still remain just above the peak of the first wave in April, when there were 534 people in Kent's hospitals with Covid.
