10 more coronavirus patients die in Black Country, Staffordshire and Birmingham
Another 10 coronavirus patients have been confirmed to have died in hospitals across the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.
The NHS figures released on Sunday put the Covid-19 death toll in the region's hospitals at 2,192.
At least 427 people have also died with the virus in care homes across the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire but figures are only available from April 10 to May 8.
The latest UK Government figures released on Sunday put the country-wide death toll at 34,636, a daily increase of 170, however analysis of NHS and Office for National Statistics figures puts the actual figure at more than 40,000.
Across England another 90 people who tested positive for coronavirus were confirmed to have died in hospital on Sunday, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths to 24,617.
However NHS England said its notification system was not operating throughout Saturday, meaning there are likely to be fewer deaths reported than would otherwise have been the case.
Patients included in Sunday's statistics were aged between 45 and 100 years old and all but one had underlying health conditions.
Among the new hospital deaths were two at the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, which runs Sandwell General and City hospitals, taking the death toll there to 329.
Four more patients were confirmed to have died at the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust which runs Stafford's County Hospital and Royal Stoke University Hospital, where 267 have now died.
And four people have died at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, taking the total to 858. The trust runs Queen Elizabeth, Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull hospitals.
No deaths were reported at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, where the total remains at 256, or at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, where the number who have died is at 192.
No new deaths were also reported at Dudley Group NHS Trust, where the total stays at 237.
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The daily figures include Covid-19 patients whose deaths were confirmed in the previous 24 hours, not who died in that period.
Some deaths are not included in the statistics for several days due to testing or family members being informed.
Meanwhile Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove has said there are “big lessons” to be learned from the treatment of care homes during the coronavirus outbreak.
Mr Gove said the Government had taken “significant steps” to improve the situation of those in care homes.
However, amid growing criticism that they had failed to provide adequate support to the sector, he acknowledged the situation remained a “challenge”.
Mr Gove also issued a fresh appeal to teaching unions and to councils who have expressed concerns about the Government’s plans to begin reopening schools from next month to think again.
