SIX coronavirus patients have died at Warrington Hospital in the space of 24 hours.

Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has confirmed a stark rise in the number of deaths at the Lovely Lane site this afternoon, Wednesday.

As of Tuesday, the total number of deaths related to Covid-19 at the trust stood at 160.

But the latest available figures released by WHH today showed that this figure is now 166.

These six patients all died in the 24 hours leading up to 12pm today, Wednesday, after testing positive for coronavirus.

A total of 115 Covid-19 patients are currently being treated at Warrington Hospital, 15 of which are in intensive care.

Meanwhile, 533 people have been discharged from the hospital after receiving treatment for the virus.

All of the trust’s coronavirus patients are treated at Warrington Hospital, with the aim of minimising the risk of infection at Halton Hospital and keeping elective procedures running at the Runcorn site.

Warrington currently has the 35th highest rate of Covid-19 infections, with 692 new cases in the seven days leading up to October 16 – or 329.5 positive tests per 100,000 residents.