THERE has been two more coronavirus deaths in Worcestershire hospitals, bringing the total up to 255.

And figures show Worcestershire has moved higher up a table of coronavirus cases which show the number of cases in local authority areas.

The latest figures, announced by the NHS today (May 15), show the further deaths came at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust hospitals, bringing its total to 232. There have been no further deaths at Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, which runs community hospitals, so it remains at a total of 23. The latest figures relate to new deaths being announced (the deaths did not all happen on the same day).

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In England a further 186 people who tested positive for Covid-19 have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals nationally to 24,345. Patients were aged between 15 and 99 years old. The NHS says 10 of the 186 patients, aged between 30 and 94 years old, had no known underlying health condition. Their families have been informed.

Meanwhile in a chart of local authority areas of the number of people who tested positive for coronavirus, Worcestershire has moved up to 28th on the list with 1,294 (as of May 14). In comparison, on March 31, the area was 46th on the list, at that point with 171 cases. New research published by Public Health England (PHE) and the University of Cambridge, shows the Midlands has an average rate of coronavirus infection of 0.68. This average rate, the R value, is the average number of people an infected person can expect to pass the virus on to. Keeping the R value under 1 is key, according to the government.

The acute hospital trust covers Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Evesham Community Hospital as well as the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch and Kidderminster Hospital. The health and care NHS trust covers community hospitals and rehabilitation wards, including Worcester City Impatient Unit, Malvern Community Hospital, Evesham Community Hospital, Pershore Community Hospital, the Princess of Wales Community Hospital in Bromsgrove, Tenbury Community Hospital and the Wye Forest Ward.

The figures on deaths relate to patients who have died in hospital and who have tested positive for Covid-19. They do not include deaths outside hospital, such as those in care homes, prisons, ambulances or in the community. The government releases a daily figure for deaths outside of hospitals. Public Health England does not give a regional breakdown.