Region's coronavirus death toll increases by 28
A further 28 people have died in the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire after contracting coronavirus.
The total number of Covid-19 patients to have died in the region reached 1,497 as England saw its lowest increase in two weeks with 429 deaths announced today.
A total of 14,829 people have now died from coronavirus in English hospitals. The true death toll is likely to be far higher due to deaths in the community and care homes not being included in these figures.
While across the UK, 449 deaths of patients who tested positive for Covid-19 were announced today – bringing the UK total to 16,509.
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A further five deaths were confirmed by the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust today, bringing the total number of deaths to 207.
Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust also announced a further five deaths. There have now been 245 deaths at the trust, which runs Sandwell and City hospitals.
Three deaths were confirmed by the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, making a new total of 172, and three at the University Hospitals of North Midlands Trust, which runs Stafford's County Hospital and Royal Stoke Hospital, making a new total of 127.
Another 12 deaths were confirmed in Birmingham, with 11 at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust where 600 people have now died and one at the Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust where 15 patients have died.
There were no further deaths confirmed at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust where the death toll remains at 128.
A total of have 160 coronavirus patients have died in Worcestershire, where two new deaths were announced today at the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.
The death figures released each day refer to the deaths of coronavirus patients confirmed in a 24-hour period, and include patients who died several days ago but whose families had not been informed or who needed further testing.
NHS England said in a statement: "A further 429 people, who tested positive for coronavirus have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 14,829.
"Patients were aged between 40 and 101 years old. A total of 15 of the 429 patients – aged between 49 and 92 years old – had no known underlying health condition.
"Their families have been informed."
Among the recent coronavirus patients to have died was 60-year-old nurse Patrick McManus who worked at County Hospital.
Mr McManus, originally from Ireland, had worked as a nurse for more than 40 years and died in hospital in Stoke.
The latest figures were released after organisations representing hospital trusts rounded on the Government over its promise of more personal protective equipment to protect workers in the fight against Covid-19.
Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, said there was “relatively low confidence” that a shipment of 400,000 surgical gowns which had been due to arrive in the UK from Turkey on Sunday would make its way into the country on Monday.
He said trusts are being forced into “hand-to-mouth” workarounds, including washing single-use gowns and restricting stocks to key areas.
The NHS Confederation, which represents organisations across healthcare, has also reacted angrily to Government promises of more PPE, saying delays on the shipment from Turkey “makes a difficult situation worse”.
Meanwhile Downing Street has said Boris Johnson is receiving daily updates on the Government’s response to the coronavirus crisis but is not working.
The Prime Minister remains at his country retreat Chequers in Buckinghamshire, where he has been convalescing since being released from hospital a week ago after falling ill with Covid-19.
