The NHS hospitals that have suffered the most Covid-19 deaths since the pandemic began

One major NHS trust has suffered more than 2,500 Covid deaths since the pandemic began, according to shocking data that lay bare the toll the disease has had on hospitals.

NHS England figures show University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, which runs two hospitals, has recorded 2,578 fatalities since last March. It is followed by Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (2,353). 

The trusts, which are two of the largest in England, account for around 4 per cent of all Covid deaths in the UK. They are the only health providers to endure more than 2,000 victims.

The Birmingham trust serves more than 2.2million patients each year and includes Birmingham Heartlands Hospital and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.

The Essex trust covers approximately 1.2million people and is made up of Southend University Hospital, Broomfield Hospital and Basildon University Hospital.  

A further 20 trusts recorded over 1,000 deaths, including Barts Health and Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals in London. 

10 NHS Foundation Trusts rusts across England recorded a total of 17,136 Covid deaths since last March. The hardest hit include University Hospitals Birmingham and Mid and South Essex

Just 10 foundation trusts in England recorded nearly 20 per cent of all deaths in hospitals in England, NHS data shows. A further 14 people died with coronavirus on Tuesday (top), new infections dropped to 5,605 and a further 325,650 received their first dose of a vaccine

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton has also suffered a four-figure death toll.

Death counts in the remaining 190 trusts varied, with 102 recording between 100 and 1,000 fatalities. Another 30 recorded single-digit deaths. 

Over 17,000 deaths took place at the 10 worst-hit trusts, which include Pennine Acute Hospitals and Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trusts.

Of the 126,000 coronavirus deaths that have been recorded across the UK since the pandemic began, 85,000 have been in hospitals in England. 

The highest number of Covid fatalities recorded during the first peak last spring was 1,073 deaths on April 8. 

This number was topped on January 19 — the darkest day of the second wave, when deaths hit 1,359.

Deaths in the UK have been falling since the end of January, thanks to vaccines and tough lockdown restrictions.