37 more Covid deaths confirmed in Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire
A further 37 patients who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospitals in the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.
It means a total of 4,434 people have now died in the region's hospitals after contracting the virus.
A total of 875 people have also died in care homes across the region since the pandemic began.
In figures announced by NHS England on Thursday, a further 350 people have died in hospitals across England, bringing the total to 47,749. It includes 87 in the Midlands region.
As of Wednesday the UK-wide death toll stood at 69,051 after 744 new deaths were confirmed - the highest daily rise since April.
Across the region
Fourteen deaths were announced at the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, which runs County Hospital in Stafford and Royal Stoke University Hospital, taking the coronavirus death toll there to 840.
A further four deaths were confirmed at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which runs New Cross and Cannock Chase hospitals, where the total stands at 429.
Three deaths were recorded at the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, which runs Sandwell General and City hospitals, where 643 coronavirus patients have now died.
Two further deaths were announced at the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Russells Hall Hospital, where the death toll stands at 437.
And 14 deaths were recorded at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Queen Elizabeth, Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull hospitals, where the total now stands at 1,559.
No new deaths were announced at the Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Walsall Manor Hospital, where the total remains 412.
Elsewhere, a further three deaths were announced in Worcestershire – two at the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and one at the Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust.
More Covid-19 coverage:
A spokesman for NHS England said: "A further 350 people, who tested positive for coronavirus (Covid-19) have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 47,749.
"Patients were aged between 25 and 100 years old. All except seven – aged 30 to 97 years old – had known underlying health conditions.
"Date of death ranges from November 4 to December 23.
"Their families have been informed."
