HERE are the key coronavirus updates from the last 24-hours. 

 

  • A further seven people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals to 29,570, NHS England said on Wednesday. The patients were aged between 71 and 90 and all had known underlying health conditions. The dates of the deaths ranged from July 28 to September 1. Another three deaths have been reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.

 

  • Tory MP Chris Green said better communication was needed from the Department of Health when it came to changing local lockdown arrangements. It comes after the lifting of coronavirus restrictions in Bolton and Trafford was reversed by Health Secretary Matt Hancock only hours before they were due to change following a “significant change” in infection rates in both areas. The Bolton West and Atherton MP told BBC Radio 4’s PM programme: “Communications haven’t been as effective as we would like so it has been difficult, but we now know where we are.” 

 

  • There have been no further reported deaths of people who tested positive for coronavirus in Wales, health officials have said. The total number of deaths since the beginning of the pandemic remains at 1,596. Public Health Wales said the total number of Covid-19 cases in the country had increased by 42, bringing the revised confirmed cases to 18,105.

 

  • One more confirmed coronavirus patient has died in Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon has said. It brings the total number of Covid-19 fatalities to 2,495. The figures are lower than weekly statistics from the National Records of Scotland – which record people who have died with confirmed or suspected coronavirus – and show the death total stands at 4,228. Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, the First Minister said 20,788 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Scotland, up by 156 from 20,632 the day before. Some 86 of these new cases are in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, where restrictions where reintroduced last night. There are 258 people in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, a decrease of six in 24 hours. Of these patients, five were in intensive care, down one.

 

  • The number of non Covid-19 deaths occurring in private homes remained “significantly above” the five-year average in June and early July, the ONS said. This was despite the total number of non Covid-19 deaths falling to below average levels. Some of the deaths at home might have been people who would have otherwise died elsewhere, particularly in hospitals which have seen “much lower levels of mortality than is usual for the time of year”. “This could indicate patients are not being admitted to hospital or being discharged sooner,” the ONS added.

 

  • The Government said 41,514 people had died in the UK within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Wednesday, an increase of 10 on the day before. Separate figures published by the UK’s statistics agencies show there have now been 57,300 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. The Government also said that as of 9am on Wednesday, there had been a further 1,508 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus. Overall, 338,676 cases have been confirmed.