Two more NHS trusts declare critical incidents over staff Covid absences

Morecambe Bay and Blackpool trusts join at least six others that have recently issued alerts

• Coronavirus - latest updates

Two NHS trusts in Lancashire have declared critical incidents in their hospitals owing to staff absences, as the region's health chief said officials were bracing ourselves for a tsunami of Omicron cases".

Morecambe Bay NHS trust, which operates three hospitals across north Lancashire and southern Cumbria, made its move on Monday evening, and the trust that runs Blackpool Victoria hospital followed suit on Tuesday morning, saying its beds were at full capacity.