A FURTHER eight people have died in Dorset hospitals after testing positive for Covid-19.

All eight deaths have been confirmed by University Hospitals Dorset, which runs Royal Bournemouth Hospital and Poole Hospital.

Five of the deaths occurred on January 29 with a further three on January 30.

This means since the start of the pandemic, 664 people have died with the coronavirus in the county’s hospitals.

University Hospitals Dorset has recorded 360 deaths, Dorset County Hospital 76 and Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust 53.

Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospital and Poole Hospital confirmed 68 and 107 deaths respectively prior to the merger.

Yesterday, 16 more deaths were confirmed in Dorset hospitals. 

NHS England officials said a further 356 people who tested positive for Covid-19 have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 72,145.

Patients were aged between 22 and 103 years old.

All except 20, aged 50 to 96 years old, had known underlying health conditions.

Date of death ranges from May 18, 2020 to January 31, 2021, with the majority being on or after 27 January.

Their families have been informed.