Coronavirus: 39 further deaths at hospitals in the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire
A further 39 coronavirus patients have died in hospitals in the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.
The deaths announced on Wednesday mean a total of 4,590 have now died in the region's hospitals after contracting the virus.
A total of 900 have died in the region's care homes – after a further 25 deaths were confirmed in the latest figures released on Wednesday. In the seven days up to December 20, 17 died in Staffordshire, five in Wolverhampton, two in Birmingham and one in Dudley.
Figures announced by NHS England on Wednesday showed a further 494 people have died in hospitals across England, bringing the total to 49,719. It included 94 in the Midlands region.
Nine more deaths were confirmed 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 879.
Three deaths were recorded at the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, which runs Sandwell General and City hospitals, where 661 coronavirus patients have now died.
A further three deaths were announced at the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust on Tuesday, making a new total of 448.
Two deaths were confirmed at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which runs New Cross and Cannock Chase hospitals, where the total stands at 443.
One death was recorded at the Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Walsall Manor Hospital, where the total stands at 421.
And 21 new deaths were announced at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, which runs hospitals across Birmingham including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, meaning the toll now stands at 1,621.
Elsewhere, 11 new deaths were recorded at the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.
A spokesman for NHS England said: "A further 494 people, who tested positive for coronavirus (Covid-19) have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 49,719.
"Patients were aged between 30 and 100 years old. All except 20 – aged 36 to 92 years old – had known underlying health conditions.
"Date of death ranges from November 9 to December 29.
"Their families have been informed."
