Coventry and Warwickshire's coronavirus death toll has passed 300.

The number of people who have died in hospitals in the region is now 303.

Data from NHS England shows 77 people have died in he region's hospitals after contracting Covid-19 in the past week - compared to 78 the week before.

The actual number is, sadly, likely to be higher as it does not count those who died outside of hospitals.

Hospitals do not routinely reveal the number of people who have recovered from coronavirus.

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Meanwhile, the number of people who have tested positive for coronavirus in Coventry currently stands at 539. There has been a further 909 elsewhere in Warwickshire.

Again, the actual number of sufferers is likely to be higher.

There have been 166 deaths at the Coventry and Warwickshire trust, 80 in South Warwickshire and 57 at the George Eliot trust in Nuneaton so far.

Elsewhere, a GP leader has said wearing face masks or face coverings in public is "perfectly reasonable"

It comes as England's deputy chief medical officer admitted it was a "difficult issue".


The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) changed its advice in light of evidence that a significant proportion of people with coronavirus lack symptoms and are able to spread the virus.

But studies have shown mixed results over whether masks offer any protection for healthy people, with concerns that they could lead to people touching their faces more, thereby increasing their risk of becoming infected with Covid-19.


Professor Martin Marshall, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "There's no research evidence to support wearing masks if you are basically fit and well; indeed, if people wear masks there's a risk they play around with it, they play with their eyes more and maybe you're even at a higher risk of picking up an infection.

"However, it is common sense that if they are coughing and spluttering then it makes complete sense to wear masks in order to protect other people.


"This sophisticated kit is likely to be more rigorous, more useful, but actually it's perfectly reasonable to wear a bandana around your mouth or whatever, that will work. It won't be quite as good but it will be good enough."

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says masks are useful in some settings, including when worn by those who are ill, but that "the wide use of masks by healthy people in the community setting is not supported by current evidence".

It says medical-grade face masks should be reserved for healthcare workers, a position currently adopted in the UK.

England's deputy chief medical officer, Dr Jenny Harries, said the issue of whether members of the public should wear face masks was "difficult".