THE Countess of Chester Hospital Trust has recorded three additional deaths of patients testing positive for coronavirus in the latest 24-hour reporting period.

NHS England data released this afternoon (July 9) shows that, as of 5pm yesterday, the total number of deaths registered by the trust – which covers both the Chester and Ellesmere Port hospital sites – rose to 230.

The data shows that two of the deaths occurred yesterday and the other happened on Tuesday, July 7.

The Countess was the only hospital trust in Cheshire to record deaths in the latest reporting period and along with East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust registered the most in England.

It comes after the trust did not report any further deaths in yesterday's update.

The Cheshire hospital death toll now stands at 710 with Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust recording 212, East Cheshire NHS Trust 143, and Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 135.

As of 4.07pm yesterday, the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Cheshire West and Chester stood at 1,951 – with no increase in cases from the previous 24 hours.

Across England, a further 22 people – down from 42 yesterday – who tested positive for coronavirus have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals to 28,991.

Patients were aged between 53 and 94 years-old. One patient, aged 77 years old, had no known underlying health conditions.

Today, six deaths are reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.