Two people have died from coronavirus at hospitals run by Sunderland and South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust and the number of COVID-19 cases in the borough now stands at six, it has been confirmed.
The news came as the UK death toll rose to 335 on March 23.
NHS England said in a statement: “Patients were aged between 47 and 105 years old and all had underlying health conditions.
“Their families have been informed.”
NHS England said that two deaths were reported in hospitals run by Sunderland and South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust. The Trust has yet to say at which hospitals the deaths happened.
There were also three reported deaths at hospitals run by Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Meanwhile, Public Health England said on March 23 that the number of confirmed cases in South Tyneside had risen to six.
The number of UK cases now stands at 6,650 – a rise of 967 on the previous day.
Public Health England also said there were 135 patients recovered.
According to March 23 figures, the full list of North East cases reads:
Newcastle(42),North Tyneside(18),County Durham (14)Sunderland (13),Stockton (12), Northumberland (10), South Tyneside (6),Gateshead (4),Darlington (3), Hartlepool (3, Redcar and Cleveland (3)and Middlesbrough (3).
