Coronavirus: 41 more deaths confirmed in Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire
A further 41 coronavirus patients have been confirmed to have died in hospitals across the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.
The figures announced on Tuesday take the total number of Covid-19 deaths in the region's hospitals to 1,836.
Meanwhile the number of UK hospital deaths increased by 685 to 21,678 and in England increased by 552 to 19,301.
Included in these were a further 12 deaths at the Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, bringing the total to 159.
At the University Hospitals of North Midlands Trust, which runs Stafford's County Hospital and Royal Stoke University Hospital, a further seven deaths were confirmed – a rise to 179.
Five further deaths were confirmed at the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Russells Hall Hospital, a rise to 213.
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At the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which runs New Cross Hospital, another two deaths were confirmed, bringing the total to 231. Another two deaths were confirmed at the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, which runs Sandwell and City hospitals, bringing the total to 282.
There were nine more deaths at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust taking the total to 740. The trust runs Queen Elizabeth, Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull hospitals. Two more deaths were confirmed at the Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, a rise to 22.
One death was also confirmed at the Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which runs services in Staffordshire, bringing the total to three. The second death was confirmed on Tuesday at the North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust.
Meanwhile, 10 further deaths were confirmed in Worcestershire, where 207 people have now died.
The daily announcements only include hospital deaths, meaning the full death toll is likely to be far higher, and refer to patients whose deaths were confirmed in the previous 24 hours – not who died in that period.
Some deaths are not included in the hospital statistics for several days due to testing or family members being informed.
Separate statistics from the ONS have revealed the scale of coronavirus deaths in the region's care homes, with Staffordshire suffering almost as many deaths outside of hospitals as inside during a two-week period.
The news comes as parents have been warned to be on their guard as experts investigate a rare but serious syndrome affecting children, which may be caused by coronavirus.
NHS officials said fewer than 20 children in England have been admitted to hospital with the syndrome, which causes a toxic shock-style inflammatory reaction.
They said there were currently no confirmed deaths related to the syndrome.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said experts were continuing to investigate the disease “with great urgency”.
He said: “It’s a fresh, new disease that we think may be caused by coronavirus and the Covid-19 virus. We’re not 100 per cent sure because some of the people who got it hadn’t tested positive.
“We’re doing a lot of research now but it is something we’re worried about.
“What I would also stress is that it is rare. Although it is very significant for those children who do get it, the number of cases is small.”
The condition is said to be similar to Kawasaki disease, which mainly affects children under the age of five, with symptoms including a high temperature for five days or more, rashes and swollen glands in the neck.
In an Ipsos Mori poll of more than 28,000 people in 14 countries, Britons were the least likely to believe restarting the economy was the right approach as ministers face continued questions over the UK’s plan for lifting its coronavirus lockdown.
Britons had the strongest views against opening up the economy if the virus is not fully under control, with 70 per cent of those surveyed saying they felt this way.
The same 70 per cent figure of disapproval was noted in Canada, while similar sentiments were recorded in Mexico at 65 per cent, Spain and Australia at 61 per cent and the United States at 59 per cent.
It comes as a number of British businesses have said they are set to start opening despite the coronavirus lockdown.
It comes as Labour has said workers “should not put their lives at risk” because they haven’t got the right protective equipment.
It comes as the death toll among frontline health and care workers surpassed 100, according to figures from the PA news agency. And the country fell silent for one minute to remember key workers who have died during the coronavirus pandemic.
Sir Keir Starmer said “too many” frontline workers have died during the fight against coronavirus “and we owe them a huge debt”.
