TWO new coronavirus deaths have been recorded at University Hospital Southampton Trust in the latest 24-hour period, the latest official figures show.

NHS England figures show 211 people had died in hospital at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust as of 5pm on Tuesday (October 27).

That was an increase of two compared to Monday, when there were 209.

It means there have been nine deaths in the past week, up from two the previous week.

The victims were among 3,710 deaths recorded across the South East.

It comes after the number of recorded coronavirus cases in Southampton increased by 57 over the last 24 hours.

Public Health England figures show that 1,950 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Wednesday (October 28) in Southampton, up from 1,893 the same time on Tuesday.

The health body is now including Pillar 2 tests – those carried out by commercial partners – alongside Pillar 1 tests, which are analysed in NHS or PHE laboratories and which made up the first stage of the Government's mass testing programme.

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.