EIGHT new coronavirus deaths have been recorded at Royal Berkshire Trust over the weekend, the latest official figures show.
NHS England figures show 314 people had died in hospital at Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust as of 5pm on Sunday (January 3).
READ ALSO: Lockdown Three: The rule changes you need to know
That was an increase of eight compared to Friday, when there were 306.
It means there have been 25 deaths in the past week, up from seven the previous week.
The victims were among 5,945 deaths recorded across the South East.
On December 27, 2020, there had been 289 people who had died in hospital at the trust.
On December 1, 2020, this figure stood at 258.
Last year, on April 7, 2020, 24 people had died in hospital at the trust.
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.
READ ALSO: Coronavirus update in Berkshire - latest cases as lockdown looms on Monday, January 4
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.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here