Coronavirus death toll passes 2,000 in Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire
More than 2,000 coronavirus patients have now died in hospitals across the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.
A further 31 coronavirus patients were confirmed to have died in hospitals across region in figures announced on Wednesday.
But five previously reported deaths were removed from NHS statistics meaning the Covid-19 death toll in the region's hospitals is now at 2,021.
Meanwhile the UK death toll provided by the Department of Health, which includes hospitals, care homes and the wider community, increased by 649 to 30,076 today.
The death toll in England's hospitals rose by 331 to 22,049.
More Covid-19 coverage:
Among the deaths announced in hospitals on Wednesday were seven at the Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, bringing the total to 177.
Five more deaths were confirmed at the University Hospitals of North Midlands Trust, which runs Stafford's County Hospital and Royal Stoke University Hospital, bringing the total to 223.
At the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, a further three deaths were announced – bringing the total to 247.
One more death was confirmed at the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, but five previously reported deaths were removed due to duplication, meaning the latest death toll at the trust is 301.
No new deaths were confirmed at the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, where the total remains 229.
A total of 12 more people have been confirmed to have died at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, taking the total to 798. The trust runs Queen Elizabeth, Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull hospitals.
Two deaths were confirmed at the Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust and one death at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
And two new deaths were announced in Worcestershire, where the total deaths at the county’s hospital has risen to 238.
Some deaths are not included in the statistics for several days due to testing or family members being informed. Wednesday’s figures included patients who died between March 13 and May 5.
These figures do not include deaths in care homes or the wider community and figures from the Office for National Statistics have suggested some parts of the region have had more Covid-19 deaths in care homes than hospitals.
At his first Prime Minister’s Questions since his recovery from coronavirus and the birth of his son Wilfred, Mr Johnson said his “ambition” was for the new testing goal to be met by the end of the month.
His Commons appearance came ahead of a speech on Sunday where he is expected to set out plans for easing the lockdown as ministers hinted that cafes may be able to reopen in the summer months if they can provide outdoor facilities.
The Prime Minister suggested some of the measures he announces on Sunday could be implemented as soon as the next day.
The route out of lockdown will rely on a test, track and trace programme to quickly identify new cases of coronavirus and prevent the further spread of the infection.
Ministers said they would postpone the tri-annual revaluation, which determines how much each business pays, because of the coronavirus lockdown shutting businesses.
With high streets closed across the country, retailers were concerned that the revaluation by HM Revenue and Customs officials from April 2019 is now wildly out of date.
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick MP said: “We have listened to businesses and their concerns about the timing of the 2021 business rates revaluation and have acted to end that uncertainty by postponing the change.
“Now is the time for us to continue to focus on supporting businesses affected by the pandemic, including through our unprecedented package of almost £10 billion in business rates relief.”
Money has been used for a range of causes, including buying tablet computers so people in hospital can see their loved ones virtually, and to set up “wobble rooms” where staff can take a much-needed break during long shifts.
NHS Charities Together, the umbrella organisation bringing together all the official charities of the health service, has raised the funds in the past six weeks through corporate and private donations as well as from members of the public.
Alongside fun runs, charity singles and virtual quizzes, fundraising given a huge boost by 100-year-old military veteran Capt Tom, who raised more than £30 million by walking 100 laps of his garden.
So far £20 million of the total raised has been distributed to member charities across the UK.
