FIVE more patients have now died at Royal Bolton Hospital after contracting coronavirus.

Official statistics released yesterday afternoon confirmed five new deaths at the borough's hospital.

One patient death from Friday, one patient death from Saturday, and three patient deaths from Sunday have now been connected to covid-19.

This is the highest number of deaths reported in a single day in May 6, when seven new deaths were linked to the virus.

So far in October, nine patients at the borough's hospital have now died after contracting the virus – already beating the monthly figures for June. July, August, and September.

The tragic update came as a further 176 new cases of the virus were confirmed across the borough.

Most of the latest cases have been recorded in people tested over the last three days, although one result from people tested on September 25, 26, and 29, and three from September 30 and October 1 have also been confirmed in yesterday's results.

A total of 5,612 people have now been infected since the start of the pandemic, almost two per cent of the borough's population.