FIFTEEN more coronavirus deaths have been reported in Dorset, official figures show.

NHS England figures show 83 people had died in hospital at Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust as of 5pm on Wednesday (February 3).

That was an increase of two compared to the 81 that had been recorded at the same point on Tuesday, and the first deaths in five days.

Meanwhile, at another trust, two new coronavirus deaths have been recorded at Dorset Trust in the latest 24-hour period.

NHS England figures show 62 people had died in hospital at Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust as of 5pm on Wednesday (February 3).

That was an increase of two compared to Tuesday, when there were 60.

It means there have been 12 deaths in the past week, up from seven the previous week.

And almost a dozen new coronavirus deaths have been recorded at the newly-formed University Hospitals Dorset Trust in the same time period.

NHS England figures show 560 people had died in hospital at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust as of 5pm on Wednesday (February 3).

That was an increase of 11 compared to Tuesday, when there were 549.

It means there have been 63 deaths at that Trust in the past week, down from 94 the previous week.

The victims were among 3,675 deaths recorded across the South West.

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.