63 more Covid deaths in region as UK toll rises by 1,014
Sixty three more coronavirus deaths have been confirmed in the region as the UK death toll rose by more than 1,000.
The deaths announced on Friday mean 6,502 Covid-19 patients have now died in hospitals in the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire since the pandemic began.
An additional 1,189 people have died with the virus in the region's care homes - although care home deaths have only been recorded since April last year, meaning the full total is likely to be higher.
The UK-wide death toll, which only includes deaths within 28 days of a positive test, increased by 1,014 to 111,264 on Friday. The most deaths reported across the country on one day was 1,820 on January 20.
More Covid-19 coverage:
Meanwhile the latest data shows 480,560 more people were vaccinated on Thursday, taking the total number of people given their first jab to 10,971,047.
Some 505,993 have now been given second doses and the seven-day rolling average of first doses given in the UK is 439,980.
Based on the latest figures, an average of 402,895 first doses of vaccine would be needed each day in order to meet the Government's target of 15 million first doses by February 15.
The Government also said that, as of 9am on Friday, there had been a further 19,114 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK.
It brings the total number of cases in the UK to 3,911,573. Of these, 256,582 have been in the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire after a daily rise of 1,592.
Across the region
Eight deaths were confirmed at Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, taking the death toll at Russells Hall Hospital to 611.
Seven deaths were announced at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, taking the toll at Walsall Manor to 605.
Seven deaths were also recorded at the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, which runs Sandwell General and City hospitals, where the death toll now stands at 966.
In Staffordshire, five deaths were announced at the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust. That means there have now been 1,227 deaths at the trust, which runs the main hospitals in Stafford and Stoke.
Five deaths were confirmed at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which runs New Cross Hospital, where the death toll is 695.
At the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust, which runs hospitals in the city including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, the death toll increased by 29 to 2,247.
Meanwhile one new death was confirmed in Worcestershire, at the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, taking the county's hospital death toll to 742.
