Doncaster hits grim coronavirus milestone as number of deaths reaches 700

Newly released NHS England figures show there were a further four deaths in the latest 24 hour period, raising the town’s death toll from 696 to 700 since the start of the pandemic last March.

The deaths are fatalities within the Doncaster and Bassetlaw NHS Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust, which covers Doncaster Royal Infirmary, Mexborough Montagu Hospital and Bassetlaw Hospital at Worksop.

Last week, the Trust said it was currently treating around 100 coronavirus patients at its three hospitals, with figures remaining broadly stable across the last few weeks.

More than 2,000 people have been successfully treated and discharged after receiving hospital treatment for the virus.

And the number of people in Doncaster to have received a Covid vaccine is approaching 50,000 with the number set to reach 70,000 in the coming weeks, health chiefs hope.