Southport and Ormskirk NHS Hospitals Trust has today registered two new deaths of patients with Covid-19, bringing the total number of deaths there since the outbreak began to 55.
The total number of recorded cases in Sefton meanwhile has risen to 532, although the total number of cases is likely to be much higher.
This is partly due to the number of cases and deaths in care homes, which are not included in official government figures, with care homes coming under the spotlight in today’s Downing Street press conference.
Concerns have been raised that the death toll in UK care homes is higher than the official 217 reported since the outbreak started, with industry figures saying the true count is much closer to 4,000.
Mr Hancock today confirmed care homes can now allow grieving relatives a last chance to say goodbye to loved-ones before they die from Covid-19 amid shocking reports of elderly victims dying alone.
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He also outlined new measures to allow compassionate visits to nursing homes and outlaw the blanket use of ‘do not resuscitate’ (DNR) plans, which staff claim they have been asked to routinely sign during the crisis.
Mr Hancock also said that a supply network of ‘unprecedented scale’ would help to finally get personal protective equipment to care home staff.
It follows an initiative by a number of schools in Southport to use laser machines and 3D printers in school premises to produce vital PPE safety equipment.
Elsewhere in Merseyside, today’s update showed there have been eight more coronavirus deaths at the Royal Liverpool Teaching Hospitals Trust.
This means the Trust’s total now stands at 180 – with the city’s overall total upto 188 (with four deaths recorded at each of the smaller Walton Centre and Heart and Chest Trusts.)
Wirral’s Trust has recorded no new deaths in today’s total – meaning it remains at 100.
St Helens and Knowsley NHS Trust – which covers hospitals in St Helens and Whiston, has continued to see a steady rise in coronavirus deaths, with six new fatalities taking the Trust’s total to 71.
No new fatalities have been reported by the Warrington and Halton Trust with the overall figure remaining at 39.
Department of Health officials announced a total of 761 new coronavirus deaths today, taking the total to 12,868.
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