Overstretched NHS hospitals have stopped routine Covid tests for new patients - raising fears that the virus could spread on untested wards.
Two hospitals in Newcastle and York have dropped testing of all patients without symptoms in order to alleviate pressure on beds - on days three, five and seven of their admission.
Some trusts have begun to dropped Covid "Red" only wards, while some are considering not separating patients in A&E.
Health bosses have labelled the measures "unsafe" as it had hundreds of patients in hospital with Covid and warned against the move to not test regularly.
NHS bosses have warned their ability to tackle the backlog is at risk as Covid hospital data on Monday showed there were 1,702 new admissions in England, as of April 9, with 6,442 positive patients occupying beds.
Hospitals in Newcastle are no longer testing patients who are not symptomatic on admission.
However, patients needing to be discharged to a care home will be tested within 48 hours before leaving.
NHS hospitals have been overstretched with regions declaring critical incidents due to the lack of beds staff absences due to Covid.
In addition, with free Covid testing kits now gone, healthcare leaders are calling for the government to bring in new measures such as mask wearing and limits on indoor mixing to help guard the NHS against “brutal” pressures.
Critical care doctor Tom Lawton told The Independent that stopping patient testing in hospitals was “worrying” and that the NHS would be putting “blinkers on” just as in-hospital infections were “as high as they’ve ever been”.
The NHS Confederation, which acts as a representative for hospitals and ambulance trusts, says hospitals are about to face a "brutal Easter as bad as any winter".
Confederation boss Matthew Taylor said: "NHS leaders report a clear disconnect between the Government's Living with Covid plan and the realities at the NHS front line.
"We have a Government that seems to want to wash its hands of responsibility for what is occurring in plain sight up and down the country.
"No10 has seemingly abandoned any interest in Covid whatsoever."
