Pre-Christmas coronavirus restrictions "weren't effective" and the impact of the current lockdown won't be seen in hospitals for weeks, a top NHS executive has said.
NHS England data showed there were 32,070 Covid-19 patients in English hospitals as of 8am on Monday.
The figure is up 20 per cent compared to last week, and up 81 per cent since Christmas Day.
Danny Mortimer, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, told BBC Breakfast earlier that hospitals are "dealing with the consequences now of many, many weeks of the spread of the virus".
"I think what we're seeing right now is the fact that actually the steps that were taken in the autumn and before Christmas weren't effective," he said.
"Our following of the rules in November time was much, much weaker than it was in March."
He added that "it will be another week or two until we feel the full benefit" of the current lockdown.
It comes after Chris Hopson, the chief executive of NHS Providers warned the House of Commons health and social care committee that the peak of pressure on the NHS may not come until as late as mid-February. It had been thought that the peak would be in January.
He said:"It now looks like the peak for NHS demand may actually now be in February.
"If that's right, that's going to basically mean there's a higher level and a more extended period of pressure on the NHS than we were expecting even a week ago."
Meanwhile, police leaders have called for the clarification of "woolly" lockdown rules on the distance people should travel to exercise.
Government guidance currently tells the public to only exercise in their local area but there is no distance set by law.
Chairman of the West Yorkshire Police Federation Brian Booth said: "The guidance is that you should be local in your own community near where you live but people are far exceeding that.
"Officers have no power in law to deal with it, so it is a bit of a nonsense really.
"The guidance is people's moral judgement, should they be doing it, but with regard to policing it - it's impossible."
Confusion over the issue has been highlighted by cases including two women who were incorrectly fined after driving five miles to meet for a walk in Derbyshire, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson going for a bike ride seven miles from Downing Street.