Coronavirus: Updates as UK death toll reaches 9,875
Here we provided the latest coronavirus updates from across the region, as the UK's death toll reached 9,875.
A further 84 coronavirus patients have died at hospitals in the Black Country, Staffordshire and Birmingham - bringing the total death toll for the region to 987.
In Shropshire, a further two coronavirus patients have died - bringing the total death toll at Shropshire hospitals to 40.
In England as a whole, a further 823 people have died.
The number of coronavirus patients to have died across the UK in hospital now stands at 9,875.
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Key developments:
- Flouting social distancing rules over the bank holiday weekend could lead to a capacity crisis is hospitals next week, a trust boss has warned. Dr David Rosser, chief executive of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, said hospitals were in control of dealing with the Covid-19 and "nowhere near" reaching a point where no additional patients could be received. But he said he had serious concerns that people who head out into the sunshine over the weekend could spread the illness, leading to pressure piling on to the region's hospitals in the coming weeks.
- The Government has faced backlash after calling protective equipment a 'precious resource'. Health Secretary Matt Hancock had said there is enough personal protective equipment (PPE) to go round if it is used in line with official guidance, and his goal is that “everyone” working in a critical role gets what they need. But the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) dismissed any suggestions that healthcare staff were “abusing or overusing” PPE.
- Two Shropshire patients who ended up fighting for their life in hospital today urged people to stay indoors, warning: “Don’t put yourself at risk.” Both described the fear of knowing their lives were under threat, describing the desperate battle for breath.