THE total number of people in Somerset with Covid-19 who have died has now passed 500.

A total of 19 people in the county council area who had tested positive for the virus have died in the last two days, according to Government figures.

Of those, nine were in Somerset West and Taunton, where 141 people with coronavirus have died since the start of the pandemic.

There were three deaths in South Somerset (overall total 129); four in Sedgemoor (overall total 117); and three in Mendip (overall total 120).

The county total now stands at 507.

The deaths from any cause are of people who had tested positive for Covid-19 withint the previous 28 days.