More than 21,000 coronavirus cases now confirmed across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire since start of pandemic as death toll rises sharply again

More than 21,000 cases of Covid-19 have now been confirmed in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire since the start of the pandemic.

A further 137 positive tests were carried out in the city in the latest 24-hour update bringing the total to 5,548.

And another 432 cases of the virus were also reported across the rest of Staffordshire – bringing the overall total there to 16,349.

The new Staffordshire cases included 56 in Newcastle-under-Lyme borough, 48 in the Staffordshire Moorlands and 73 in Stafford Borough.

It means there have now been a total of 21,897 cases in the county – including Stoke-on-Trent.

Six more patients with coronavirus have died at University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust – bringing the total since the start of the pandemic to 441.

Stoke-on-Trent’s top health boss Dr Paul Edmondson Jones said: “These are awful figures. I can’t begin to tell you how serious that is – we have to stop spreading it.”

There were also 111 new cases confirmed across Cheshire East – bringing the total since the start of the pandemic to 7,082.

Confirmed Covid-19 cases by area as of November 8:

• Stafford Borough: 2,524 (up 73 from yesterday)
• Staffordshire County (all Staffordshire authorities – including those in the south of the county – excluding Stoke-on-Trent): 16,349   (up 432 from yesterday)
• Cheshire East: 7,082   (up 111 from yesterday)

Deaths with Covid-19 at local hospital trusts as of November 8:

• University Hospitals of North Midlands    NHS    Trust –    Royal Stoke University Hospital    and County Hospital:  441 
• North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust – Harplands Hospital:    6
• Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust –    Haywood Hospital,    Leek    Moorlands Hospital,    Bradwell    Hospital,    Cheadle    Hospital and more:    16
• Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (including Leighton Hospital in Crewe):    229
• East Cheshire NHS Trust –    Congleton    War Memorial Hospital and Macclesfield District General Hospital:   162

The Government said a further 156 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Sunday. This is down on the  162 recorded last Sunday, November 1. The UK total stands at 49,044.

The Government said that, as of 9am on Sunday, there had been a further 20,572 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK.