A hospital patient who tested positive for Covid-19 has died.

They were being cared for at West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust and they died on Thursday (September 3).

NHS data shows they were aged between 60 and 79.

The patient was among eight new deaths announced by NHS England today.

The dates of the deaths ranged from August 31 to September 4.

Patients were aged between 56 and 94 and they all had underlying health conditions.

The total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England is now 29,604, including 373 at West Hertfordshire NHS Trust.

Thursday’s death was the first Covid-19 death reported in a west Hertfordshire hospital since August 19.

It comes at a time when public health officials have urged communities in Hertsmere and Dacorum in particular to pay "close attention" to a spread of Covid-19.

In Hertsmere, in the Borehamwood and Bushey area specifically, the rate of new cases per 100,000 population (44.2 to the seven days to September 2 (46 cases)) is the highest rate in southern England and just outside the top 10 in England.

Hertfordshire County Council says the people living in Hertsmere who have tested positive for Covid-19 within the last week are mainly teenagers and the council believe the surge in cases is the result of large gatherings of teenagers inside homes towards the end of August.