A further six people have died with Covid-19 in Dorset’s hospitals - including four at Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester.

NHS England figures show two new deaths were recorded by University Hospitals Dorset (Poole and Bournemouth) on January 7 and 8.

It means since the start of the pandemic, the trust has recorded 305 Covid-related deaths.

Dorset County Hospital confirmed four deaths in total with three on January 7 and one the following day.

A total of 36 people have died at DCH overall after recording a positive test.

There has been 35 deaths overall reported by Dorset Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust.

NHS officials said another 625 people who tested positive for the coronavirus have died in hospitals in England, bringing the total number to 55,072.

Patients were aged between 24 and 101 years old.

All except 26, aged 30 to 96 years old, had known underlying health conditions.

Date of death ranges from November 15, 2020, to January 8, 2021.

Their families have been informed.