Health leaders have urged people not to lose focus in the fight against Covid following a rise in case numbers and hospital admissions.

Since the last remaining restrictions were lifted last month, case numbers have gradually begun to climb again in Norfolk.

While the rate of infection still remains considerably lower than experienced in January, numbers have started to grow across all age groups.

And the region's three main hospitals are still currently treating scores of patients who have tested positive for the virus - 54 at the Norfolk and Norwich, 41 at the James Paget in Gorleston and 67 at the Queen Elizabeth in King's Lynn.

However, according to the most recent figures, just one of these is requiring a ventilator to treat their illness.

The virus is still also causing staffing issues across the hospitals, with more than 200 staff members across the three enduring Covid-related absences. Of these 130 are at the NNUH, 73 at the JPH and 36 at the QEH.

The situation has prompted health leaders to call for caution in a bid to prevent any further spread of the virus.

Cath Byford, chief at Norfolk and Waveney CCG said: “ I cannot stress enough how important it is to maintain the safer behaviours that we all adopted during the pandemic. These behaviours like washing your hands, ventilating rooms, and choosing to wear a face mask in public places will make a real difference in how easily viruses can circulate throughout our communities."

Suzanne Meredith, Norfolk's deputy director of public health, added: “In recent days Covid-19 case rates have increased across Norfolk and much of the UK. These increases have occurred across multiple areas and age groups, and do not appear to be linked to individual outbreaks.

"At present, case rates remain much lower than they were in January 2022. We are monitoring the trends locally and are supporting settings such as schools and care homes in the area.

“We can all continue to play a role in reducing the spread of Covid-19. Most importantly, we would encourage people to get vaccinated, to let fresh air in if meeting indoors, to consider wearing a face-covering in crowded, enclosed spaces, and to get tested if you have Covid-19 symptoms and stay at home if positive.”