A further 11 patients have died at hospitals in Suffolk and north Essex after testing positive for coronavirus.

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT), which operates Ipswich and Colchester hospitals, confirmed on Sunday that 10 further patients have died at their centres.

Three of the patients, one in their 80s and two in their 70s died at Ipswich Hospital. All of them had underlying health conditions.

At Colchester Hospital, seven people – three in their 90s, one in their 80s and three in their 70s, also died. They too all had underlying health conditions.

Their deaths bring the total number of patients who have died at the trust to 166 – 75 being at Ipswich Hospital and 91 at Colchester Hospital. No further information as to their identities has been made available.

Nick Hulme, ESNEFT chief executive, said: “Our thoughts and condolences remain with the patients’ families and loved ones at this difficult time.”

According to NHS England data, one further patient has also died at West Suffolk Hospital – although a statement is yet to be released by chief executive Dr Stephen Dunn.

A total of 22 people have died at the hospital in Bury St Edmunds.

The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed Sunday a further 596 people had died in hospitals nationwide, down from the previous daily death toll of 888.

Their deaths come as the number of cases in Suffolk increased to 618 as of Sunday afternoon – a rise of 18 compared to Saturday.

In the area of Essex governed by Essex County Council, the figure increased by 65 in the same time frame and now stands at 1,846.

In the East of England, the figure now stands at 7,476.

Nationally, the total number of deaths in UK hospitals has risen to 16,060.

Of the 372,967 now tested, 120,067 patients are confirmed to have contracted the virus – representing a rise of 5,850 cases.

The exact figure is widely accepted to be much higher however due to many with symptoms remaining untested.