Another 18 people have died at south Essex hospitals after contracting coronavirus.

Both Southend and Basildon hospitals have recorded nine new deaths today (Wednesday, January 20), according to NHS England.

At Southend Hospital, the newly-reported deaths occurred January 12 and 17, with four happening a week ago on January 13.

It takes the total number of fatalities linked to Covid-19 at the hospital to 563.

At Basildon Hospital, one of the new deaths happened on January 15, and four each on Sunday and Monday.

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The overall number of deaths from coronavirus at the Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is now 717.

Daily death counts are revised each day, with each case backdated to the actual date of death.

This means some of the deaths that were first recorded in the latest period may actually have taken place days earlier.

NHS England guidance states: "Confirmation of Covid-19 diagnosis, death notification and reporting in central figures can take up to several days and the hospitals providing the data are under significant operational pressure."

Only deaths that occur in hospitals where the patient has tested positive for Covid-19 are recorded, with deaths in the community excluded, such as those in care homes.