26 more Covid deaths in Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire

The deaths announced on Saturday mean 7,084 people have now died with the virus in the region's hospitals.

A further 1,289 people have died in the region's care homes after contracting coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the UK death toll, which only includes within 28 days of a positive test, went up on Saturday by 445 to 120,365.

And the latest vaccination data shows 17,247,442 people have had their first jab in the UK and 604,885 have had a second dose.

Across the region

Seven more deaths were confirmed at the Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, where 1,068 people have now died with Covid.

Seven deaths were also confirmed at the neighbouring University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, taking the death toll there to 2,442.

The trust is one of the UK's largest and runs Queen Elizabeth Hospital as well as Heartlands, Solihull and Good Hope hospitals.

Five deaths were announced at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, taking the death toll at New Cross Hospital to 755.

And two deaths were confirmed at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, meaning 673 Covid patients have now died at Walsall Manor Hospital.

Over in Staffordshire four more deaths were announced at the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, which runs the main hospitals in Stafford and Stoke, taking the trust's death toll to 1,312.

One more death was also announced at the Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, where 73 people have died.

And in Worcestershire one more death was confirmed at the acute hospital trust, taking the hospital death toll in the county to 800.

No new deaths were reported at the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Russells Hall, meaning the death toll there remains at 679.