ACROSS all settings in Dorset, 216 people died after contracting coronavirus as of May 1.

The figures from NHS England showed that 128 people died in hospitals across the county.

55 of those deaths came at the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals and 37 at Poole Hospital.

At Dorset County Hospital, 23 people had died and 13 people under the care of the Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust.

Covid-19 deaths in care homes figures from the Office of National Statistics and the Care Quality Commission showed that 88 care home residents had died between April 10 and May 1.

The worst day for care home deaths in Dorset came on April 27, when 11 people died.

Speaking on Tuesday, health secretary Matt Hancock said care home staff and residents in England would all be eligible to be tested, regardless of whether they have any symptoms of the virus.

Testing has also been rolled out to all over-65s and their households with symptoms and workers who need to leave home and their households.