26 more coronavirus deaths in region as new figures show 26,000 dead in UK
A further 26 coronavirus patients have been confirmed to have died in hospitals across the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.
The figures announced on Wednesday take the total number of Covid-19 deaths in the region's hospital to 1,862.
Meanwhile, the number of hospital deaths in England increased by 445 to 19,746, with a 14-year-old patient among the latest confirmed victims.
Across the UK, new figures show more than 26,000 people have died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after contracting Covid-19.
That includes 765 deaths reported in the 24 hours to 5pm on Tuesday and is the first time data on the number of deaths in care homes and the wider community has been included in the Government's daily updates.
The new method of reporting includes an additional 3,811 deaths since the start of the outbreak.
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Included in the latest figures were a further five deaths at the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, which runs Sandwell and City hospitals, bringing the total to 287.
At the University Hospitals of North Midlands Trust, which runs Stafford's County Hospital and Royal Stoke University Hospital, a further four deaths were confirmed – a rise to 183.
Two further deaths were confirmed by the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which runs New Cross Hospital, a rise to 233.
No further deaths were confirmed at the Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, where the total remains 159, or at the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Russells Hall Hospital, where the figure remains 213.
There were 10 more deaths at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust taking the total to 750. The trust runs Queen Elizabeth, Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull hospitals. Two more deaths were confirmed at the Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, a rise to 24. At the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, a further two deaths were confirmed – taking the total to seven.
One death was also confirmed at the Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which runs services in Staffordshire, bringing the total to four.
Meanwhile, six further deaths were confirmed in Worcestershire, where 213 people have now died.
As well as including patients who tested positive for the disease, the statistics now also include patients who died in hospital and hadn't tested positive but for whom Covid-19 is documented as a direct or underlying cause of death on their death certificate.
Up-to-date statistics showing the number of Covid-19 deaths away from hospital are also set to be published today but have not yet been released.
A spokesman for NHS England said: "A further 445 people, who tested positive for coronavirus (Covid-19) have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 19,746.
"Patients were aged between 14 and 101 years old. A total of 27 of the 445 patients – aged between 14 and 94 years old – had no known underlying health condition.
"Their families have been informed."
Some deaths are not included in the statistics for several days due to testing or family members being informed. The latest figures released on Wednesday, were for deaths between March 9 and April 28.
In other news, the scale of the challenge facing the UK in tackling the spread of Covid-19 in care homes was acknowledged by ministers.
Dominic Raab – standing in for Boris Johnson following the birth of the Prime Minister’s son – said there would be no “sugar coating” of the issues and stressed the efforts being made to get a grip on the care homes crisis.
The Foreign Secretary, who faced questions in the Commons amid fears that the UK was on course to have the highest coronavirus death toll in Europe, said there was a “joint horror” across the House at the number of people killed in the outbreak.
Gavin Williamson said the Government did not have a fixed date for reopening schools but ruled out the prospect of them opening over the summer holidays.
