MORE than 300 people have now died from Covid-19 in Sussex, latest statistics reveal.

NHS England figures show 306 people had died in hospital at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust as of 5pm on Monday.

That was an increase of eight compared with Sunday, when there were 298.

It means there have been 30 deaths in the past week, down from 34 the previous week.

The victims were among 7,896 deaths recorded across the South East.

The Argus: It means there have been 30 deaths in the past week, down from 34 the previous weekIt means there have been 30 deaths in the past week, down from 34 the previous week

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

It means a further 1,610 people have died in the UK within 28 days of having a positive Covid-19 test – the biggest figure reported in a single day since the pandemic began.

It comes just days after it was revealed that more than 3,000 people had tested positive for coronavirus across Sussex over the course of last weekend.

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.