Two patients who tested positive for coronavirus have died at Epsom and St Helier hospitals over the weekend.

The news broke on Sunday that the death toll from the virus in England had risen to 34 people.

One coronavirus patient at St Helier Hospital had already died earlier this month, and Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust cofirmed that two more people had been pronounced dead.

"Sadly we can confirm that a man who was being cared for at Epsom Hospital, who was in his 80s, and a man being cared for at St Helier Hospital, who was in his late 60s, have died," he said.

"Both patients were admitted with underlying health conditions and subsequently tested positive for Covid-19.

"The families have been informed and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time. We will not be commenting further and ask that everybody respects the family's privacy."

There have been a total of 1,372 positive tests for coronavirus in the UK as of 9am on Sunday, up from 1,140 at the same time on Saturday, the Department of Health said.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said people aged over 70 will be asked in the coming weeks to self-isolate for up to four months, in order to protect them from the virus.