THE first coronavirus-related death in York has been confirmed.

York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust says the patient had tested positive for coronavirus and was being cared for at York Hospital.

A spokesperson for the trust told The Press: “Sadly, we can confirm that a patient being cared for at York Hospital who had tested positive for COVID-19 has died.

“Our thoughts and condolences are with their family at this difficult and distressing time.”

They added this evening that the patient was in their 90s, but said they could not give any further details at this stage.

York Central MP Rachael Maskell wrote on Twitter: “It is so sad to hear of the first death from coronavirus at York Teaching Hospital. My thoughts are with their family.

“Please stay at home and if you absolutely have to go out - distance yourself. Coronavirus is real, Coronavirus is dangerous. #KeepHomeKeepSafe”

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust has confirmed that a second person has died in Harrogate after testing positive for COVID-19.

NHS England revealed on Tuesday that the patients were among a further 83 people who had died after testing positive for coronavirus.

The patients were aged between 33 and 103 years old and all were in vulnerable groups, including with underlying conditions.

The first person who died in Harrogate after testing positive for COVID-19 was an elderly patient with other significant underlying health conditions.

Meanwhile, there has been one coronavirus-related death in East Yorkshire.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said the man, in his 60s, was being treated in Castle Hill Hospital and had underlying health conditions.

According to figures released by Public Health England on Tuesday, there were a total of 11 confirmed coronavirus cases in the City of York Council area, while the North Yorkshire County Council area had 30 confirmed cases.

There were 16 confirmed cases in the East Riding of Yorkshire area.

The figures, released by Public Health England, do not represent the total number of cases of the virus, because people are only being tested in the most serious suspected cases.

But they present a broad picture of which parts of the country are seeing large numbers of patients who are seriously ill, with the York area seeing considerably fewer than Hampshire, which had 207 confirmed cases, Lambeth in London, with 188, and Birmingham, with 187.