THREE more deaths of patients with coronavirus were reported by the Countess of Chester Hospital Trust over the weekend.

NHS England data showed that two of the deaths occurred on November 13, with one the previous day.

It means the trust – which covers both the Chester and Ellesmere Port hospital sites – has now registered a total of 251 deaths.

In total, ten additional deaths were reported by Cheshire hospital trusts over the weekend.

The county hospital death toll now stands at 875.

The Countess of Chester Hospital Trust has recorded 251 deaths, Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 237, East Cheshire NHS Trust 166, and Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 221.

Meanwhile, a further 259 cases of coronavirus were reported in Cheshire West and Chester over the weekend taking the total number to 7,950.

There was 130 more positive cases recorded in Saturday's update and a further 129 yesterday.

The weekly infection rate for the borough, in the seven days up to November 9, is 297.3 (1,020 cases) per 100,000, up from 248.3 (852 cases) during the previous week-long period.