Coronavirus: Live updates as Black Country, Staffordshire and Birmingham death toll reaches 1,497

Follow the latest coronavirus updates from across the Black Country, Staffordshire, Birmingham and beyond, as the region's death toll has reached 1,497.

By Kirsten Rawlins

Published Apr 20, 2020

Last updated Apr 20, 2020

Coronavirus testing at Edgbaston Cricket Ground

A further 28 people who tested positive for Covid-19 have been confirmed to have died at hospitals across the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.

It comes as the country enters the fifth week of lockdown and the Government opens its furlough scheme for applications.

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It comes as the Government's chief scientific adviser has warned Covid-19 vaccines are “long shots” and people should not rely on the swift development of one for the virus.

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