IT'S now two weeks since the Countess of Chester Hospital Trust last reported the death of a patient testing positive for coronavirus.

NHS England data released this afternoon (August 3) shows that, as of 4pm yesterday, the total number of deaths registered by the trust – which covers both the Chester and Ellesmere Port hospital sites – once again remained at 227.

It means the Countess has not reported any additional deaths for 14 consecutive days – and only once in the last 19.

The last death occurred on July 18, which was announced by the trust two days later.

The Cheshire hospital death toll stands at 722 with Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust recording 213, East Cheshire NHS Trust 146, and Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 136.

As of 6.49pm yesterday, the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Cheshire West and Chester stood at 2,047.

It was reported at the end of last week the rate at which coronavirus cases were being recorded had risen slightly in west Cheshire.

Across England, a further five people who tested positive for coronavirus have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals to 29,352.

Patients were aged between 66 and 95 years old, and all had known underlying health conditions.

One death has been reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.