Fifty patients are currently being treated for COVID-19 in Lincolnshire's hospitals, trust bosses have confirmed.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust, which runs Lincoln, Boston and Grantham hospitals, has so far discharged 185 patients who tested positive for coronavirus.

Trust bosses added that hospitals had so far had a total of 337 coronavirus inpatients.

It comes as the death toll for coronavirus at the county's hospitals reached 100 yesterday (April 29).

Earlier this week, the trust saw its first frontline fatality as Anujkumar Kuttikkottu Pavithran, known as Kumar to colleagues and a staff nurse at Boston Pilgrim, died of coronavirus.

Andrew Morgan, chief executive of ULHT, paid tribute to Kumar and described him as a "a very well liked, professional, respected member of the team".

Staff at Pilgrim will hold a special Blue Light 'clap for carers' tonight in memory of their colleague.

Meanwhile, Lincolnshire has seen 804 cases tested positive so far.

Public health bosses also confirmed this morning that 19 deaths have also been recorded in the county's care homes.

A total of 120 people had died in care homes overall during April 10-24, meaning the coronavirus deaths accounted for around 16%.

Public Health England also reported ten care homes in South Kesteven had the virus or was suspected to have the virus.

Around a third of all care homes in the UK also had confirmed or suspected outbreak of coronavirus, they added.

The new figure also brings the total deaths in the county to 120 when added on to the 101 which took place in Lincolnshire's hospitals.

Assistant director of public health at Lincolnshire County Council said: "Every single one of those deaths is tragic. Each one of them represents a person that has likely died earlier than they might have done.

"They may not have been able to have families around them because of restrictions and every death is one too many."

He also paid tribute to the care home workers supporting those who were ill.

Additional Reporting by Local Democracy Reporter Calvin Robinson