Latest figures show three new COVID-19 related deaths at Bedford Hospital

There have been three new coronavirus deaths recorded at the Bedford Hospital Trust in the past 24 hours, the latest official figures show.

NHS England figures show 95, who tested positive for Covid-19, had died in hospital at the Bedford Hospital NHS Trust as of 5pm on Thursday, April 23.

A week ago, there were 93 deaths. Daily death counts are revised each day, with each case backdated to the actual date of death.

Today (April 24), Bedford has recorded eight new cases with a total of 361 people diagnosed with COVID-19.

Central Bedfordshire has 427, up from 421, and Luton now has 554 cases.

But the true number of cases is thought to be far higher with many people not being tested.

Nationally, the number of coronavirus cases now stands at 143,464 (includes tests carried out by commercial partners which are not included in the country totals), rising by 5,386. The number of COVID-19 associated UK deaths in hospital has been recorded as 19,506, rising by 684 today - according to Public Health England.

The figures for the number of patients recovered from COVID-19 have not been released by Public Health England.

All the figures refer only to people who have been tested in hospital. The true extent of infection among the wider public, who have no access to testing kits, is as yet unknown.

The new figures were recorded between 5pm on Wednesday and 5pm on Thursday.