More than nine in 10 beds at Hampshire Hospitals Trust were occupied at the start of this month, new figures show, with many beds taken by patients fit to be discharged.

It comes as health officials warned hospitals across England are "close to full" with norovirus increasing demand while a significant number of beds are occupied by people medically fit to be discharged.

The most recent NHS situation report for this winter shows Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust had an average of 811 out of 869 beds occupied (93%) in the week to February 2.

Across England, an average of 95% of beds were occupied with 98,101 patients in hospital each day for the week – higher than at any point so far this winter.

The NHS said one in seven beds were taken up by patients who did not need to be in hospital and were well enough to be discharged, also a record high for this winter.

In Hampshire Hospitals Trust, an average of 246 patients were fit to be discharged each day in the week to February 2. However, 182 (74%) remained in hospital.

Dr Adrian Boyle, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: "The system is gridlocked. When there is so little capacity, the flow of patients through the hospital grinds to a halt.

"You can keep adding people into the system through the emergency department but if you can’t discharge them from wards when they are well enough to go home, the system breaks down, and we see the result in emergency department corridors and car parks."

The figures also reveal the number of people in hospital in England with norovirus, a stomach bug that causes vomiting and diarrhoea, is continuing to climb and has hit another new high for this winter.

An average of 961 hospital beds were filled each day in the week to February 2 by patients with diarrhoea and vomiting or norovirus-like symptoms, up 7% from 898 the previous week.

This included an average of 55 patients at Hampshire Hospitals Trust.

Dr Layla McCay, from the NHS Confederation, said: "Bed closures due to norovirus and insufficient care capacity in the community are still leading to longer hospital stays, less bed availability for new admissions, and increased pressure on healthcare resources."

Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers, added: "This is sign of just how much pressure the service has come under this winter – one of the worst many trust leaders have ever seen."

Professor Julian Redhead, NHS England’s national clinical director for urgent and emergency care, said the "twin pressures" of winter viruses and problems discharging patients means hospitals are "close to full".

He said: "It's vital people continue to use NHS services in the normal way – using 111 and 111 online if you need advice and support for health conditions, and only using 999 or attend A&E in life-threatening emergencies."

Amy Douglas, epidemiologist at the UK Health Security Agency, added: "It's really important that if you have diarrhoea and vomiting, you take steps to avoid passing the infection on."

She urged people with the bug to avoid visiting patients in hospitals and care homes; to not return to work, school or nursery until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped; and not to prepare food for others.