Coronavirus: 13 more deaths in Black Country, Staffordshire and Birmingham
A further 13 coronavirus patients have died in Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire hospitals.
The figures announced on Monday mean the Covid-19 death toll in the region's hospitals is now at 2,091. Figures released on Wednesday will provide detail on the number of local deaths in care homes and in the community.
Meanwhile the UK-wide death toll released by the Government, which includes deaths in and out of hospital, increased by 210 to 32,065.
All but one of the deaths in the Government statistics were in English hospitals, where the toll reached 23,358, with the actual UK figure thought to be substantially higher.
Among the deaths announced in hospitals on Monday were five at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, taking the death toll at the trust which runs Sandwell General and City Hospital to 312.
Four more patients were announced to have died at the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust which runs Stafford's County Hospital and Royal Stoke University Hospital, taking the death toll in Staffordshire to 247.
Two deaths were confirmed at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which runs New Cross and Cannock Chase hospitals, where 255 patients have now died with the virus.
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No new deaths were confirmed at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, where the total remains 177, or the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, where 232 patients have died.
A further two deaths were confirmed at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, taking the total to 820. The trust runs Queen Elizabeth, Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull hospitals.
No new deaths were announced in Worcestershire where the hospital death toll remains at 243.
A spokesman for NHS England said: "A further 209 people, who tested positive for coronavirus have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 23,358.
"Patients were aged between 40 and 99 years old. Of those, 12 of the 209 patients – aged between 55 and 97 years old – had no known underlying health condition.
"Their families have been informed."
The daily figures include Covid-19 patients whose deaths were confirmed in the previous 24 hours, not who died in that period.
Some deaths are not included in the statistics for several days due to testing or family members being informed. Monday's figures included patients who died between March 18 and May 10.
New guidance released
Meanwhile the Government has released its new coronavirus guidance, telling the public to wear face coverings on public transport and in some shops and setting out an ambition to return all primary school children to school for a month before the summer holidays.
The Government expects pre-school children to be able to return to early years settings, and for Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils to be back in school in “smaller sizes”, from the start of next month.
Shops currently considered “non-essential”, such as fashion or homeware retailers, could be able to open from the start of June and small weddings could be allowed to take place from next month.
Top-level sport in England could restart behind closed doors from June 1 but spectators may not be able to attend venues until a vaccine is found.
And lockdown fines will rise to £100 in England from Wednesday as the Government warned it was considering tougher enforcement measures for anyone flouting the rules.
