OFFICIAL figures show that 36 more cases of coronavirus have been recorded across the Wigan borough and there have been two more deaths in the area's hospitals.

Public Health England figures show that 1,069 people had been confirmed as testing positive for COVID-19 by 9am Thursday morning (May 14) in Wigan, up from 1,033 the same time on Wednesday. A week before, there were 910 cases.

It means cases have increased by 3 per cent over the last 24 hours, higher than the rate of increase across the UK of 2 per cent.

Figures also show there have been two new coronavirus-related deaths recorded at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Trust.

NHS England figures show that since the start of the outbreak 215 people who tested positive for COVID-19 had died in hospital at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust as of 5pm on Wednesday (May 13).

A week ago, there had been 184 deaths recorded.

The victims were among 3,689 deaths recorded across the North West, which is the third-worst affected of England's seven NHS regions after London and the midlands.

Of 188 trusts in England,Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh trust has the 37th-highest death toll.

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 last 24 hours 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.