26 more coronavirus deaths announced in Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire
Another 26 coronavirus deaths have today been announced in Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire hospitals.
The figures, which included nine more deaths in Walsall, mean 2,117 people have now been confirmed to have died with Covid-19 in the region's hospitals.
The local figures for care home and community deaths are not released on a local level daily, however data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows 40 per cent of all coronavirus-related deaths in England and Wales took place in care homes in the last week of April.
Across the UK the official Government death toll, which includes deaths in and out of hospital, increased by 627 to 32,692 today although analysis of ONS figures puts the figure at more than 40,000.
In England the death toll in hospitals increased by 350 to 23,708 while in Wales the toll in hospitals and care homes increased by 16 to 1,132.
Of the 350 latest hospital patients announced to have died today, nine were in the care of Walsall Manor Healthcare NHS Trust where 186 patients have died with the virus.
Six more deaths were announced at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation, taking the toll there to 826.
The trust runs Queen Elizabeth, Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull hospitals.
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Another four patients have been confirmed to have died at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, where the death toll now stands at 316.
Three more deaths were confirmed 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 250.
One more death was announced at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley, where 233 people have died with the virus, and three more deaths were announced at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham where 11 Covid-19 patients have died.
No further deaths were announced at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which runs New Cross and Cannock Chase hospitals, meaning the toll remains at 255.
Meanwhile seven more deaths were confirmed in Worcestershire where 250 coronavirus patients have now died in hospital.
ONS figures suggest as many coronavirus patients have been dying in care homes in the region as have been dying in hospital. Between May 2 and May 8, 157 people died with the virus in care homes and 111 died in hospitals.
The latest figures were released as Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the UK's furlough scheme will be extended until the end of October.
The scheme – which pays 80 per cent of a worker’s salary up to a £2,500 monthly cap – will remain unchanged until the end of July and then continue with employers expected to start footing some of the multi-billion pound bill.
