Three men and two women being treated at two of Norfolk’s hospitals have died after testing positive for coronavirus.
NHS England has announced 758 more people have died after contracting the virus, bringing the total in England to more than 5,600.
Of those announced on Tuesday, one patient died at the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston.
Figures have also been updated to show a further four people have died, three at the James Paget Hospital and one at the Norfolk at Norwich University Hospital.
A spokesman for the James Paget hospital said three men, one in his 50s, one in his 80s and another in his 90s, as well as a woman in her 90s had died. All four patients had underlying health conditions.
It brings the county’s death total to 68, with 29 at the NNUH, 21 at JPUH and 18 at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn.
A spokesman for the NNUH said: “We can confirm that sadly, a woman in her 80s, who had underlying conditions, has passed away at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. She had tested positive for Covid-19. Our thoughts and condolences remain with the patient’s family and loved ones at this difficult time.”
The hospital announced on Tuesday that 39 patients have so far recovered and returned home following treatment.
It is in addition to 22 patients that have recovered after being treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn.
The hospital’s medical director Frankie Swords discussed its ongoing pandemic plan.
Dr Swords said to meet the demand, the hospital had made preparations to admit four times the usual number of patients that would need intensive care.
Nationally, NHS England said a further 758 people who tested positive for the virus had died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 5,655.
Prime minister Boris Johnson is currently being treated in intensive care for the virus.
Patients confirmed to have died around the country were aged between 23 and 102 years old, with 29 of the patients having no known health condition.
The Department of Health confirmed 55,242 people have now tested positive for coronavirus and 6,159 people have now died in the UK.
As of 9am on Tuesday, 266,694 tests have been concluded, with another record high as 14,006 tests took place on Monday.
Of those tests, 213,181 people have been tested of which 55,242 tested positive.
Public Health England confirmed the number of positive cases in Norfolk had risen from 301 to 341.
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