More than 11,600 people died after picking up Covid in NHS hospitals, shocking new data suggests.
A study found that thousands of people who went into hospitals for unrelated treatment ended up contracting coronavirus and dying.
The new figures show that 11,688 people who died on wards are likely to have caught Covid in hospitals.
It has been called a “scandal” by MPs and Jeremy Hunt, chairman of the health and social care select committee, feels it is more evidence to show that health workers must be vaccinated.
It comes as separate data shows the number of coronavirus cases in the UK has fallen by nearly a quarter in just a week.
Referring to the hospital deaths, Mr Hunt told The Telegraph: “These numbers are truly shocking.
“Hospital infections have been the deadliest silent killer of the pandemic.
“It surely strengthens the case for mandatory vaccination for front-line health care staff."
It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged those eligible to book their booster vaccinations.
He told broadcasters during a visit to a hospital in Hexham, in the North East: "I'm here to look at what we're doing to encourage people to get their booster jabs and that is the single most important thing that the government can do at the present time.
"Unfortunately, what you've got at the moment is a situation in which the waning of the original two jabs is starting to see too many elderly people getting into hospital.
"Sadly, the jabs do wane. We've done 10 million booster jabs already and it's a very effective thing.
"It's a wonderful thing, people get 95% more protection, so I'm encouraging everybody today to go online if you've gone over five months, you can go online and book."
The NHS has opened bookings for those needing a booster if five months have passed since their second dose so they can have a top-up jab at the six-month point.
The number of coronavirus cases in the UK has fallen by nearly a quarter in just a week.
A further 32,322 positive tests were recorded by the government on Monday, down 24% from 40,077 seven days previously.
But a further 57 people lost their lives to Covid-19 today, up from 40 seven days ago.
Over the past seven days 1,191 have died after catching the virus, a rise of 8% compared to the week before.
The number of Covid cases after a positive test are falling, with 30,305 recorded on Sunday, pushing the number of confirmed infections in the country above 9,300,000.
