UPDATE: Six new coronavirus deaths recorded at Bedford Hospital

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

NHS England figures show 109 people had died in hospital at the Bedford Hospital NHS Trust as of 5pm on Monday (April 27).

That was an increase of six compared to Sunday, when there were 103.

A week ago, there were 80 deaths.

The victims were among 2,210 deaths recorded across the East of England.

Of 23 trusts within the region, the Bedford Hospital trust has the eighth highest death toll.

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 last 24 hours 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.

Across England, the death toll hit 19,295 on Monday, up from 18,749.

Separate figures from the Department of Health and Social Care show 157,149 people had tested positive for Covid-19 across the UK as of 9am on Monday, up from 152,840 on Sunday.