Seven more coronavirus deaths in Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire hospitals
A further seven coronavirus patients have been confirmed to have died in hospitals in the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.
The latest figures released on Friday now means the Covid-19 death toll in the region's hospitals is now at 2,506.
An extra 591 people have died in care homes across the region, weekly figures released by the Office of National Statistics show.
Menwhile the UK-wide death toll, which includes deaths in and out of hospital, increased by 186 to 43,414 today.
The number of deaths in hospitals in England went up by 67 to 28,557.
Of the new hospital deaths announced by the NHS on Friday, two were confirmed at the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Russells Hall Hospital, where the new total is 263.
One death was confirmed at the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, which runs Sandwell General and City hospitals, where the toll is now 376.
A further death was announced at the Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, in charge of the Manor Hospital, where 221 have died.
The University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, which runs Stafford’s County Hospital and Royal Stoke University Hospital, also confirmed a further death, taking the new total to 340.
No new deaths were confirmed at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which runs New Cross and Cannock Chase hospitals, where the total number remains 285.
A further two patients were confirmed to have died at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust, where the total is now 952. The trust runs Queen Elizabeth, Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull hospitals.
Two new deaths were reported in Worcestershire, where the death toll in the county's hospitals increased to 300.
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A spokesman for NHS England said: “A further 67 people, who tested positive for coronavirus (Covid-19) have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 28,557.
"Patients were aged between 52 and 98 years old. One patient, aged 86, had no known underlying health conditions.
"Their families have been informed."
The daily hospital figures include Covid-19 patients whose deaths were confirmed in the previous 24 hours, not who died in that period.
Meanwhile Boris Johnson has warned people against “taking liberties” with social distancing rules as he said it could lead to the danger of a “serious spike” in coronavirus infections.
The comments come after Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the Government will take action if distancing measures are ignored as thousands flocked to the south coast on the hottest day of the year.
Speaking during a visit to a restaurant in east London ahead of an easing of lockdown on July 4, the Prime Minister said: “If you look at what’s happening elsewhere in the world where people have been coming out of lockdown, I’m afraid what you’re also seeing is people taking too many liberties with the guidance, mingling too much, not observing social distancing.
“So in some parts of the world – I won’t name them – you have got spikes, really serious spikes, in the instance of the disease, so it is crucial that people understand that on July 4 we get this right, we do this in a balanced way.”
Despite Mr Hancock’s warning of possible beach closures, Downing Street signalled such a move would be a matter for local authorities.
