THERE were four new coronavirus deaths recorded at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust (SaTH) in the latest 24-hour period, the latest official figures show.

NHS England figures show 308 people had died in hospital at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust as of 5pm on Thursday, January 7.

That was an increase of four compared to Wednesday, when there were 304.

It means there have been 15 deaths in the past week, up from 11 the previous week.

The victims were among 11,264 deaths recorded across the midlands, which is the worst affected of England's seven NHS regions.

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.