FOUR more coronavirus patients have died in Dorset hospitals over the last 24 hour period, official figures show.

The figures include two new coronavirus deaths at Dorset County Hospital Trust.

NHS England figures show 103 people had died in hospital at Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust as of 5pm on Monday (February 22).

That was an increase of two compared to Sunday, when there were 101.

It means there have been four deaths in the past week, down from 13 the previous week.

Meanwhile two further coronavirus deaths were recorded at University Hospitals Dorset Trust in the same time period.

NHS England figures show 646 people had died in hospital at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust as of 5pm on Monday (February 22).

That was an increase of two compared to Sunday, when there were 644.

It means there have been 25 deaths in the past week, down from 30 the previous week.

The victims were among 4,168 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.