UK coronavirus death toll rises by 85, bringing total number of fatalities to 44,602

A further 85 people have died after contracting coronavirus in the UK. Credit: PA

A further 85 people have died in the UK after contracting coronavirus, taking the death toll to 44,602.

The figures, as of 5pm on Wednesday and from the Department of Health and Social Care (DoH), do not include all deaths involving Covid-19 across the UK, which are thought to have passed 55,000 according to Office for National Statistics data.

The numbers released by the government include all deaths in hospitals, care homes and the wider community in people who have tested positive for coronavirus.



England

A further 22 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths in hospitals to 28,991, NHS England said.

The patients were aged between 53 and 94 years old and one person, aged 77, had no known underlying health conditions.

Another six deaths were reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.


Scotland

No new coronavirus deaths have been reported in Scotland in the last 24 hours, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said.

A total of 2,490 patients have died in Scotland after testing positive for coronavirus.

Nicola Sturgeon announced the changes on Tuesday Credit: Jeff J Mitchell/PA

Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, the First Minister said 18,315 people have tested positive for the virus in Scotland, up by six from 18,309 the day before.

There are 646 people in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, down 121 on Wednesday.

Of these patients, nine were in intensive care, a fall of two.


Wales

Public Health Wales said a further two people had died after testing positive for Covid-19, taking the total number of deaths to 1,540.

The total number of coronavirus cases recorded in Wales increased by 16 to 15,929.