THE coronavirus death toll at Hereford hospital has risen again in the latest 24-hour period, official figures show.

NHS England figures show 221 people have died in hospital at Wye Valley as of 5pm on March 1, up one on the previous day.

The new death announced today took place on February 26.

Across England, 279 new deaths were reported today, with 54 of those in the midlands.

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.