THE first death recorded in local hospitals since last week has been included in today’s NHS figures.

The figures are updated by NHS England and NHS Improvement every day and include confirmed death cases reported at 5pm the previous day.

Today’s update shows that one patient died at St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust on Thursday, June 18.

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It is the first death at the trust, which runs Whiston, St Helens and Newton hospitals, to be included in the daily figures since Friday.

It is also one of two deaths that occurred in local hospitals last week, although this figure could rise in the coming days.

Cases are only included in the data when a positive COVID-19 test result is received, or where COVID-19 is documented as a direct or underlying cause of death on the death certificate.

This results in a lag between the date a death occured and the date it is reported in the figures.

In addition, a lag usually occurs following the weekend as the figures on deaths work their way through the system, meaning Monday’s figure tends to be lower before rising again on Tuesday.

To date, St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has recorded 206 coronavirus-related deaths.

At the latest count, a further 46 people who tested positive for the COVID-19 have died in hospitals in England.

The North West registered the highest number of deaths, with 15.

Out of the 46 people who died, patients were aged between 51 and 97 years old.

Two of the patients, aged 84 and 87, had no known underlying health conditions.

In addition, 13 people died where COVID-19 was mentioned on their death certificate but where there was no positive test result.

Today’s update brings the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 28,384.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a series of announcements as the government looks to ease the country out of lockdown.

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Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Johnson said: “While we remain vigilant, we do not believe there is currently, currently a risk of a second peak of infections that might overwhelm the NHS.

“Taking everything together we continue to meet our five tests and the chief medical officers of all four home nations have downgraded the UK’s COVID-alert level from 4 to 3.

“Meaning we no longer face the virus spreading exponentially, though it remains in circulation.”