13 more coronavirus deaths in Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire

A further 13 coronavirus deaths have been confirmed in hospitals across the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.

Wednesday's announcement means 2,321 patients have now died with the virus in the region's hospitals, while at least 527 more people have died in care homes.

The official UK Government death toll increased by 412 to 37,460 today although analysis suggests more than 45,000 people have died with Covid-19 across the country.

The number of patients to have died in English hospitals increased by 183 to 26,049 today.

Of the 183 new hospital deaths, five were confirmed at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust where 905 patients have now died.

The trust runs Queen Elizabeth, Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull hospitals.

Five new deaths were confirmed in Staffordshire with three of these at the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, which runs Stafford's County Hospital, taking the death toll there to 298.

Two deaths were announced at the Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which runs mental health services in the county, taking the death toll there to nine.

One more death was confirmed at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which runs New Cross and Cannock Chase hospitals, taking the death toll there to 265.

The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Russells Hall Hospital, also reported one new death taking the total to 247.

And at the Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Sandwell General and City hospitals, the death toll increased by one to 338.

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Meanwhile in Worcestershire, the death toll at the county's main Acute Hospitals NHS Trust increased by one to 248 and two more deaths were confirmed at the Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust where 25 people have died.

Office for National Statistics data released yesterday shows that at least 527 people have died with coronavirus in care homes across the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire. However these figures are only available for April 10 and May 22 meaning the true toll is likely to be far higher.

The care home figures include 53 deaths in Wolverhampton, 73 in Walsall, 43 in Dudley, 34 in Sandwell, 150 in Birmingham and 156 in Staffordshire.

The daily hospital 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.

The news came as Boris Johnson was set to be questioned by senior MPs as he faces a growing Tory revolt and plummeting poll ratings over the Dominic Cummings row.

Meanwhile, one million UK businesses have claimed £15 billion from the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to cover the wages of 8.4 million staff unable to work during lockdown, new official figures show.

The Treasury also revealed that UK banks have funnelled more than £27 billion to companies as part of three state-backed loan schemes since Covid-19 shut down large parts of the economy.