A NORTH-EAST NHS Trust is among the country's trusts that have seen the highest number of coronavirus patient deaths since the outbreak began.

Latest figures confirm the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust has reported one of England's highest death tolls outside of London.

It comes as Sunderland is said to have England's highest rate of infection, according to a national thinktank.

Centre for Cities say cases in the city continue to rise sharply and that it has by large, the highest number of cases in England (389 per 100,000 population).

Latest figures show a total of 1,066 cases have now been confirmed in Sunderland, just 86 less than across the whole of County Durham.

But NHS England data analysed by The Northern Echo has revealed that the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust ranks eighth for Covid-19 deaths out of almost 200 trusts in England excluding London.

The data, correct as of 5pm on April 25, shows a total of 248 deaths have been recorded by the trust - significantly higher than any other trust in the North-East and more than double the national average.

Based on the same data, the number of patient deaths recorded per trust in England averages out at 91 patients.

England's ten trusts - excluding London - that have recorded the highest patient deaths so far:

 - UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS BIRMINGHAM NHS FOUNDATION TRUST 722

- UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF DERBY AND BURTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST 341

- PENNINE ACUTE HOSPITALS NHS TRUST 320

- LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST 288

- SANDWELL AND WEST BIRMINGHAM HOSPITALS NHS TRUST 278

- FRIMLEY HEALTH NHS FOUNDATION TRUST 270

- WEST HERTFORDSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS TRUST 254

- SOUTH TYNESIDE AND SUNDERLAND NHS FOUNDATION TRUST 248

- MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY NHS FOUNDATION TRUST 245

- THE ROYAL WOLVERHAMPTON NHS TRUST 227

Although the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust is among those trusts with the highest death toll, figures may be higher due to the number of people they serve.

How a coronavirus death is recorded

Deaths that occur in hospitals are recorded as Covid-19 related if patients have tested postive for the virus.

Deaths that occur outside hospitals are recorded Covid-19 related - even if not tested - for instance: if that person displayed strong symptoms of the virus and it was recorded on the death certificate.