First coronavirus death in 20 days confirmed at Sandwell NHS Trust
The first coronavirus death for 20 days has been confirmed at the NHS trust that runs Sandwell General Hospital.
The patient died at the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust on Wednesday, the NHS confirmed today.
They became the first Covid-19 patient to die in the trust's care since July 9 - the same week that the number of new coronavirus cases in Sandwell started to rise again.
It has not been confirmed whether the patient died at Sandwell General or City Hospital.
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Sandwell has been added to the national coronavirus "watch list" as cases in the borough continue to rise sharply, with a particular surge in West Bromwich.
No other deaths were announced at Black Country, Birmingham or Staffordshire hospital trusts in the latest figures.
It means the death toll in hospitals in the region now stands at 2,549. An additional 692 people have died with coronavirus in the region's care homes.
Meanwhile the UK-wide death toll, which includes deaths in and out of hospitals, increased by 120 to 46,119 today.
The number of deaths in hospitals in England rose by nine to 29,338.
Today's announcement means 380 people have now died with Covid-19 at the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust.
The death toll at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which runs New Cross and Cannock Chase hospitals, remains at 285; while 264 patients have died at the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Russells Hall Hospital.
The toll at the Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Walsall Manor Hospital, is at 230; while 354 people have died at the University Hospitals of North Midlands Trust, which runs County Hospital in Stafford and Royal Stoke University Hospital.
At the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Queen Elizabeth, Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull hospitals, the death toll stands at 965.
Over in Worcestershire, a total of 306 people have died in hospital after contracting Covid-19.
An NHS England spokesman said: "A further nine people, who tested positive for coronavirus (Covid-19) have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 29,338.
"Patients were aged between 73 and 92 years old. All had known underlying health conditions apart from one – aged 75 years old.
"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.
