Two more coronavirus deaths sees Shropshire toll rise to 52
A further two people have died in Shropshire hospitals from coronavirus, bringing the total in the county to 52.
The latest NHS England figures yesterday showed the two patients died in the care of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, where a total of 50 patients have now died, either at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital or Princess Royal Hospital Telford.
A statement released by SaTH said: "SaTH is currently treating patients who have tested positive for Covid-19.
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"Sadly we can confirm that 50 patients being cared for at our hospitals, and who had tested positive for Covid-19, have died.
"Our thoughts and condolences are with the families and friends of those patients at this very difficult and distressing time."
Two deaths have also been reported previously at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital near Oswestry.
Nationally, a further 744 people, who tested positive for coronavirus have died, NHS England has said.
It brings the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 11,005
Patients were aged between 34 and 102, while 58 of them had no known underlying health condition.
Public Health Wales said 19 further deaths had been reported, taking the number of deaths in Wales to 403.
A total of 12,107 people who tested positive for coronavirus have now died in UK hospitals.
As of 9am on Tuesday, 382,650 tests have concluded, with 14,982 tests on Monday.
A total of 302,599 people have been tested, of which 93,873 tested positive.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows Covid-19 was mentioned on 3,475 death certificates in the week ending April 3, including hospital, care home and community deaths.
This means coronavirus has pushed the death toll in England and Wales to its highest level since official weekly figures began in 2005.
The news comes as experts have called for all coronavirus-related deaths in care homes to be published daily, as new data showed around 10% of deaths registered up to April 3 in England and Wales were outside hospitals.
A total of 406 registered deaths took place outside hospitals, according to provisional figures from the Office for National Statistics.
Nicola Richards, who is director of three care homes in Sheffield with a total of around 200 residents, said that PPE and testing arrangements are finally being sorted but it is “too little, too late”.
In other news, Boris Johnson’s key aide Dominic Cummings returned to work following his recovery from suspected coronavirus but appeared to fail to follow social distancing rules.
The Prime Minister’s senior adviser walked along Downing Street flanked by fellow aide Cleo Watson.
Asked why Mr Cummings was not observing the two metre social distancing rule, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Downing Street staff endeavoured to follow the guidance wherever possible.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister continued his recuperation at his Chequers country retreat following his discharge from hospital.
His spokesman said Mr Johnson was not involved in making decisions, taking phone calls or receiving official papers in his ministerial red boxes.
