DUDLEY hospital chiefs have announced today that a further patient being treated for coronavirus has died.

The patient, aged in their 90s, was being treated for underlying health conditions.

Diane Wake, Chief Executive of the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, confirmed the sad news today (Monday, March 23).

The announcement brings the official number of deaths related to coronavirus in Dudley to nine.

Diane Wake said in a statement: "The Trust can confirm that a patient in their 90s being treated for underlying health conditions has sadly died. The patient had tested positive for COVID-19.

“The family has been informed and our condolences and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.

“We will not be commenting further and ask that everybody respects the family’s privacy.”

The news comes as the death toll in the UK rose to 335 on Monday (March 23).

The official number of coronavirus cases confirmed by Public Health England reached 24 in the Dudley borough on Sunday (March 22).