Further 23 Covid deaths in region's care homes – and three in hospitals
A further 23 coronavirus deaths have been confirmed in care homes across the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.
And three deaths were confirmed in the region's hospitals in the latest figures released on Wednesday – meaning the total number of Covid deaths in hospitals increased to 7,602l.
Meanwhile the latest 23 deaths confirmed in the region's care homes means 1,459 have died after testing positive for coronavirus.
In the figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) this week, eight deaths were announced in care homes in Staffordshire, five in Birmingham, four in Wolverhampton, three in Sandwell, two in Walsall and one in Dudley.
NHS England confirmed a further 18 deaths on Wednesday in the country's hospitals.
One death was announced at the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, which runs Sandwell General and City hospitals, taking the total to 1,718 deaths.
A further death was recorded at the Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Walsall Manor Hospital, taking the total deaths to 723.
And one death was reported at the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, which runs Stafford's County Hospital, taking the total to 1,378.
Overall, 803 have died at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, 740 at the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust and 2,616 at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.
Meanwhile, a total of 55,238,565 vaccinations have been carried out across England to date – including first and second doses.
In the Midlands, 6,225,013 first doses of the coronavirus vaccine has been administered, while 4,289,939 second doses have been carried out.
The data includes vaccinations carried out between December 8 and June 1.
