Covid: More than 2k deaths in mid and south Essex hospitals

Today's figures from NHS England show another 18 deaths linked to Covid-19 have been recorded at Southend, Basildon and Broomfield hospitals. 

All the deaths happened between January 17 and yesterday (February 2). 

It takes the total number of fatalities at the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust to 2,016. 

There have been 165 Covid-related deaths announced by the trust in the last seven days. 

Across the rest of Essex, there have been 14 other coronavirus fatalities announced by hospitals. 

There have been eight announced by the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, one at Braintree Community Hospital and four at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow. 

A total of 707 more Covid deaths have been announced by NHS England today. 

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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.