Almost 4,000 patients have been discharged from Leicester's hospitals after being treated for Covid, since the start of the pandemic.

Members of University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust's (UHL) board observed a moment of reflection at its meeting this morning, remembering the more than 1,000 patients that have died after testing positive for Covid-19 in the city's hospitals.

Yesterday's weekly death announcement took the trust's overall toll to 1,093. The grim 1,000 death milestone was passed last week.

But members were also encouraged to think of those that dedicated staff have treated and the patients who have recovered as frontline medics continue to see more patients than ever with the virus.

Mark Wightman, the trust's director of strategy and communications, said: "It's absolutely right we mark the grim milestone of 1,000 deaths (UHL) and 100,000 deaths nationally, but also recognise that at the same time, we have discharged nearly 4,000 patients that have been in our care with Covid.

"That is also a figure to ponder in terms of just how hard our clinical teams have worked, just how hard they've pushed the envelope of what is known and the science around Covid and how patients are cared for.

"Some of our outcomes for Covid recovery are best in class."

After the first wave, UHL, which manages and runs the Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester General Hospital and Glenfield Hospital, was praised for its treatment of Covid patients and ranked in the top 3 hospitals in the country for patient outcomes after batlling coronavirus.

He added: "It is sad, it's very sad and we all feel that deeply, but also we have to recognise that our staff have been doing brilliant work and think about those 4,000 people that we've turned around and sent back out into their lives. That is a reason and something for us to celebrate."

Acting chief executive Rebecca Brown said: "I would absolutely echo that, it is extremely important to recognise both of those situations."

The first pandemic-related death in the county was in mid-March last year, since then a patient in their 20s was the youngest to die, the oldest was in their 100s.

The latest NHS data available shows that 267 patients died in January at either the Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester General Hospital or Glenfield Hospital. This figure may increase after the data is verified.