Seven more people have died from coronavirus in south Essex.

Figures released by NHS England show that six patients died in Basildon Hospital after testing positive for the virus.

This brings the total there to 217.

In Southend Hospital, one more person died, bringing that hospital's total to 128.

The total number of deaths in south Essex now sits at 345.

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Nationally, NHS England has announced 711 new deaths of people who tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 18,084.

Of the 711 new deaths announced today:

- 105 occurred on April 24

- 236 occurred on April 23

- 66 occurred on April 22

The figures also show 235 of the new deaths took place between April 1 and April 21 while the remaining 69 deaths occurred in March, with the earliest new death taking place on March 11.

NHS England releases updated figures each day showing the dates of every coronavirus-related death in hospitals in England, often including previously uncounted deaths that took place several days or even weeks ago. This is because of the time it takes for deaths to be confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19, for post-mortem examinations to be processed and for data from the tests to be validated.

The figures published by NHS England show April 8 continues to have the highest number for the most hospital deaths occurring on a single day, with a current total of 855.