TWO more patients have died at St Mary's Hospital after getting coronavirus.

The first two of the new year, their deaths were recorded on January 1 and January 5.

Since the start of the pandemic, 210 people have now died at the Newport hospital, after contracting Covid-19.

More than 150 others have died in non-hospital community settings.

Last year, 156 Covid deaths were recorded in hospital on the Isle of Wight, compared to 52 in 2020.

The upsurge in tourism to the Island during the Covid-19 pandemic has led a Shanklin hotel to plan a big expansion.

Luccombe Manor, part of the Garden Isle Hotel Group, is asking the Isle of Wight Council for permission for 15 more rooms in a three-storey extension.

A further 172 cases of Covid were confirmed on the Isle of Wight yesterday (Wednesday).

These latest cases follow on from a reported 177 cases on Tuesday.