The deaths of 20 more patients who had been in the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital with Covid-19 have been reported.

Hospital bosses confirmed on Friday that 15 further patients who had tested positive for the virus had died in the two weeks following Christmas Eve.

An administrative issue had led to a delay in reporting their deaths.

The hospital had already reported 24 deaths of patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 since Christmas Eve.

And, with the deaths of five more patients recorded on Saturday, it means 49 patients with Covid-19 have died at the hospital since Christmas Eve.

In a statement, the hospital said: "We can confirm that sadly 15 patients, who had tested positive for Covid-19, have passed away at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

"They were 10 men: five men in their 60s, two in their 70s, one in his 80s and one man in his 50s.

"They all had underlying health conditions. There were also four women: two in their 80s, one in her 90s, and one in her 60s, all with underlying health conditions.

"And there was one woman in her 70s who did not have underlying health conditions.

"These patients died over a two week period from 24 December 2021.

"The delay in recording their deaths is due to administrative issues."

The five patients with Covid-19 whose deaths were reported on Saturday, January 9 were a woman in her 90s, a woman in her 80s, two men in their 90s and a man in his 70s.

Erika Denton, NNUH medical director, last week said the hospital was handling an "extremely challenging" situation and was treating more than 200 patients with Covid-19.

Eastern Daily Press: Erika Denton, Medical Director at NNUH. Photo: NNUHErika Denton, Medical Director at NNUH. Photo: NNUH (Image: NNUH)

The vast majority of routine operations have been cancelled and most outpatient appointments to telephone or online consultations.

The hospital said on Friday that it has now discharged more than 700 coronavirus patients to recover at home.

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital announced the milestone on Friday, as it also said it has vaccinated 1,000 members of staff.

At the James Paget University Hospital, a man in his 40s with no underlying conditions was among six deaths of Covid-positive patients recorded on a single day on Friday, January 8.

Meanwhile, Norfolk's Covid-19 infection rate has seen a daily decrease for just the second time in a month - but still remains in excess of 500 cases per 100,000 people.

In the latest figures made available by Public Health England - for the seven days ending January 5 - every local authority area in the county saw a decrease in its infection rate.

And Norfolk's overall infection rate also saw a decline, from 531.9 cases per 100,000 people to 502.8.