MORE patients who tested positive for coronavirus have died in England's hospitals.

The latest NHS England figures show 609 new deaths have been recorded across the country today (January 25), with 98 of those deaths in the midlands.

The newly reported deaths bring the total number of coronavirus deaths at England's hospitals to 67,046, with 13,646 of those deaths occurring at hospitals in the midlands.

No new deaths have been reported at hospitals in Herefordshire, where the death toll stands at 145. The most recent death reported at Wye Valley NHS Trust took place on January 21.

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.