THE number of positive coronavirus cases in Northumberland has increased to 188.

Confirmed cases of the virus reached triple figures on Thursday with the total rising to 119, but a sharp increase over the weekend has seen a further 69 cases of Covid-19 confirmed.

The news comes after the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said 38 patients who were being cared for in the trust’s hospitals who had tested positive for Covid-19 have died.

The trust said that all patients had underlying health conditions and were between the ages of 65 and 93.

As of Sunday, Public Health England said there have been 47,806 positive cases in the UK with 4,934 deaths.