THE number of people known to have died from coronavirus in Worcestershire hospitals has risen dramatically to 158.

Thirty deaths have been announced according to daily figures released by NHS England.

The public body has announced twenty five deaths at Worcestershire Acute Hospital Trust hospitals in the 24 hours up to 5pm April 18.

Five more deaths were reported by Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust during the same period.

It means the total is up to 158 in the county, from the 128 previously reported.

A further 482 people, who tested positive for the coronavirus have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 14,400.

Patients were aged between 34 and 104 years old. 6 of the 482 patients (aged between 52 and 92 years old) had no known underlying health condition.

Their families have been informed.

According to the Department of Health and Social Care, as of 9am April 19, 482,063 tests have conducted.

372,967 people have been tested of which 120,067 tested positive.

As of 5pm on April 18, of those hospitalised in the United Kingdom who tested positive for coronavirus, 16,060 have died.