Coronavirus deaths pass 200 at West Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust

The number of coronavirus deaths passed 200 at the West Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust over the past 24 hours, the latest official figures show.

NHS England figures show 206 people, who tested positive for Covid-19, had died in hospital at the West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust as of 5pm on Wednesday, April 22.

That was an increase of 20 compared to Tuesday, when there were 186. A week ago, there were 138 deaths.

Of 23 trusts within the region, the West Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust, which manages Hemel Hempstead Hospital, Watford General Hospital and St Albans City Hospital, has the highest death toll.

Over the past 24 hours there have been five new coronavirus deaths at East and North Hertfordshire Trust and no new deaths at the Hertfordshire Partnership Trust or the Hertfordshire Community Trust.

The figures released from Public Health England show that there are 42 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Hertfordshire in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 1,996.

But the true number of cases is thought to be far higher with many people not being tested.

Nationally, the number of coronavirus cases now stands at 138,078 (includes tests carried out by commercial partners which are not included in the country totals), rising by 4,583. The number of COVID-19 associated UK deaths in hospital has been recorded as 18,738, rising by 616 today - according to Public Health England.

The figures for the number of patients recovered from COVID-19 have not been released by Public Health England.

All the figures refer only to people who have been tested in hospital. The true extent of infection among the wider public, who have no access to testing kits, is as yet unknown.

The new figures were recorded between 5pm on Tuesday and 5pm on Wednesday.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): what you need to do

- Stay at home

- Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home)

- If you go out, stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people at all times

- Wash your hands as soon as you get home

- Do not meet others, even friends or family.

- You can spread the virus even if you don’t have symptoms.