EIGHT more coronavirus deaths have been recorded in Dorset hospitals.

The figures include the first coronavirus death in four days at Dorset Trust.

NHS England figures show a further 64 people had died in hospital at Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust as of 5pm on Monday (February 8).

That was one more than had been recorded at the same point on Sunday, and the first death in four days.

Elsewhere, at the newly-formed University Hospitals Dorset Trust, seven new coronavirus deaths have been recorded in the same time period.

NHS England reports that 591 people had died in hospital at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust as of 5pm on Monday (February 8).

That was an increase of seven compared to Sunday, when there were 584.

It means there have been 49 deaths there in the past week, down from 93 the previous week.

The victims were among 3,824 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.