A TOTAL of 315 people in Oxfordshire have now tested positive for the coronavirus.

The latest figure released last night is a leap of 81 from the 234 confirmed cases on Thursday.

A total of 33 people in Oxfordshire have now died after being diagnosed with Covid-19.

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Of those, 29 were patients of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – which runs the John Radcliffe, Churchill and Horton General hospitals – and four were in the care of Oxford Health trust, which runs mental health facilities and the county's community hospitals.

Across England, another 604 patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 3,302.

Patients were aged between 24 and 100 years old, and 34 of the 604 patients – aged between 27 and 92 years old – had no known underlying health condition.

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Due to the rising number of deaths, Oxfordshire County Council announced yesterday that a temporary mortuary was being set up at a former RAF base in the north of the county.

The facility for storing dead bodies is being created at Heyford Park.

The council is working with the NHS and the coroner's office, and said the unit would be used 'if required'.

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In a statement it explained: "Partners from organisations including the NHS, registration services, coroner’s office and local authorities have been meeting regularly to consider requirements that may be placed upon Oxfordshire during the Coronavirus outbreak.

"This has led to a temporary facility being prepared at the former RAF base at Heyford Park, which will be used if required."

The council insisted that those running the new facility would have a 'very strong commitment to the dignity'.