THE coronavirus death toll in care homes in Dudley and Sandwell has risen to 84.

Statistics published today (Tuesday May 19) by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) record 50 deaths linked to COVID-19 in care homes in the Dudley borough, and 34 in care homes in Sandwell.

The figures, which include all deaths linked to COVID-19 that occurred up until May 8 but were registered up until May 16, show nearly 20 per cent of all coronavirus related deaths in Dudley occurred in care homes, with the overwhelming majority (75 per cent) in hospital.

In Sandwell - only 12 per cent of COVID-19 related deaths occurred in care facilities, with the majority (83 per cent) in hospital.

Published weekly, the latest stats report 430 coronavirus patients died in hospital in Dudley and Sandwell - 189 at Russells Hall in Dudley and 241 in Sandwell.

Meanwhile - three people with coronavirus have died in a hospice setting in the Dudley borough and two have passed away in hospice care in Sandwell. Twenty people have also died from the deadly virus in their own home - 10 in Dudley, and 10 in Sandwell.

The figures published by the ONS differ to those published daily by NHS England which only refer to hospital deaths related to COVID-19.

Today's figures from NHS England state 571 people have now died due to the virus in Dudley and Sandwell hospitals - 241 in Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley, and 330 in hospitals run by Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust.