THREE more patients have died at the Wye Valley NHS Trust after testing positive for coronavirus, the latest official figures show.

NHS England figures show 79 people had died in hospital at Wye Valley NHS Trust as of 4pm on Tuesday (December 8).

That was an increase of three compared to figures for the period to 4pm on Monday, when there were 76.

Two patients died on December 4, and one on December 6.

The victims were among 9,012 deaths recorded across the midlands, a figure which rose by 83 over the past 24 hours.

CORONAVIRUS LATEST:

On Wednesday, the NHS confirmed another 344 at hospitals across England.

Daily death counts are revised each day, with each case backdated to the actual date of death.

This means some of the deaths that were first recorded in the latest period may actually have taken place days earlier.

NHS England guidance states: "Confirmation of Covid-19 diagnosis, death notification and reporting in central figures can take up to several days and the hospitals providing the data are under significant operational pressure."

Only deaths that occur in hospitals where the patient has tested positive for Covid-19 are recorded, with deaths in the community excluded, such as those in care homes.