12 more coronavirus deaths confirmed in Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire

A further 12 coronavirus deaths have been confirmed in hospitals across the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.

The rise means 2,344 patients have now died in the region's hospitals, while at least 527 people have died with the virus in care homes.

Meanwhile the Government's UK death toll, which includes deaths in and out of hospitals, increased by 324 to 38,161 today although analysis of NHS and ONS figures puts the true figure at more than 45,000.

The number of patients to have died in English hospitals increased by 149 to 26,383.

Four new deaths were confirmed at the Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Sandwell General and City hospitals, taking the death toll there to 344.

Two deaths were were announced at the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Russells Hall Hospital, taking the total there to 252.

Two deaths were also confirmed at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which runs New Cross and Cannock Chase hospitals, making a new death toll of 269.

One new death was confirmed in Staffordshire at the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, which runs Stafford's County Hospital, taking the death toll there to 300.

And three were confirmed at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust where 909 patients have now died.

The trust runs Queen Elizabeth, Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull hospitals and has had more coronavirus deaths than any trust in the country.

No new deaths were reported at Walsall Manor Hospital, where 205 patients have died.

Meanwhile in Worcestershire three more deaths were confirmed meaning 279 people have now died with the virus in the county's hospitals.

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The figures released each day refer to the number of coronavirus-related deaths confirmed in the previous 24 hours - not who died in the last 24 hours.

Deaths are sometimes not included in the data for some time due to testing or allowing for relatives to be informed.

Meanwhile care home death figures, released by the Office for National Statistics, are currently only available from April 10 to May 22 meaning the true number of Covid-19 deaths at Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire homes is likely to be far higher than the 527 reported.