NINE patients have now died from Covid-19 at Colchester Hospital, bringing the total number of deaths across the area to 20.

Nick Hulme, chief executive of the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, confirmed three more patients had died at Colchester Hospital in an announcement on the trust’s website.

He said: “We can confirm sadly, three patients, one in their 90s, and one in their 70s both of whom had underlying health conditions, together with another patient in their early 80s who did not have underlying health conditions, have passed away at Colchester Hospital. They had tested positive for Covid-19.

“Our thoughts and condolences remain with the patients family and loved ones at this difficult time.”

Six patients have died at the hospital over the past week.

Three more deaths have been reported at Mid Essex Hospitals Trust, which runs Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford.

There have now been ten deaths at the trust and one at the Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation - meaning there have been 20 across the area.

In the UK, a further 180 people who tested positive for the virus had died as of yesterday afternoon, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths to 1,408.

A spokesman for NHS England said: “Patients were aged between 32 and 98-years-old and all but four patients, aged between 56 and 87-years-old, and underlying health conditions. Their families have been informed.”

The latest death figures have been met with cautious optimism by some with the number falling for the second day.

Professor Neil Ferguson, of Imperial College London, said the spread of the condition was slowing due to social distancing measures brought in by the Government.

The Government adviser said: “If we look at the numbers of new hospital admissions, that does appear to be slowing down a bit now.

“It has not yet plateaued, so still the numbers can be increasing each day but the rate of that increase has slowed.”

At the Government’s daily briefing yesterday, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced plans to repatriate tens of thousands of stranded British nationals from abroad.

The Government and commercial airlines have formed a new arrangement designed to bring residents home over the coming weeks.

Clarence House confirmed yesterday Prince Charles, who tested positive for coronavirus last week, is now out of self-isolation.