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Dominic Raab says a total of 69 NHS workers have died during the coronavirus pandemic amid claims the true toll is much higher.

Mr Raab gave the figure while standing in for Boris Johnson at the first virtual PMQs on Wednesday.

The Foreign Secretary also said 15 social care workers have died after contracting coronavirus, putting the total death toll of frontline workers at 84.

It came just hours after Care Minister Helen Whately told BBC Breakfast that 61 NHS staff and 15 care workers had died after testing positive for Covid-19.

The Government has been criticised throughout the pandemic for allegedly underestimating the death toll, with reports that the figure could be as high as 100.

Ms Whately told BBC Breakfast: "We know that 61 NHS workers have died and for care workers I have a figure of 15, but we are working to get more comprehensive data on that because it is important for us to know the number of people in health and care who are dying of this.

"We have got to do everything we can to protect their lives."

As of 9am this morning, NursingNotes claimed the death toll among health and social care workers was at 111.

The organisation tweeted: "At least 111 health and social care workers are now believed to have died of Covid-19.

"Our team works tirelessly to ensure their names are never forgotten."

Those figures have not been verified.

Last week the Health Secretary Matt Hancock promised to try and provide daily updates on the death toll rather than sharing updates three times a week.

Mr Hancock had faced criticism for previously stating the death toll for NHS workers was just 19.

Among those who have died are Michael Allieu, a staff nurse at Homerton University Hospital and a 68-year-old Marie Curie nurse from South London.

Tributes were paid to Barbara Sage from Bromley as friends and family grieved the "tragic loss of a members of the Marie Curie family".

Grant Maganga died on April 20 at Tameside Hospital after 11 years of nursing, most recently at Hurst Place in Ashton-under-Lyne, Manchester, a rehabilitation unit for men with severe mental illness and complex needs.

“Grant was an exceptional nurse who cared deeply for his patients and lit up the room with his infectious smile and positive personality,” said Clare Parker, director of nursing at Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Mr Maganga’s unit.

Healthcare nurse Kirsty Jones is also among those who had died after testing positive for Covid-19.

The mother-of-two died on Monday after working for 24 years with NHS Lanarkshire, where she was described as a “selfless and bright” employee.

In an earlier interview with Sky News, Care Minister Ms Whately acknowledged that some NHS workers have received letters asking them to be retested for Covid-19 following concerns previous tests were faulty.

She said that early tests were evaluated and found to be "not effective enough".

The revelation means that some NHS workers could have returned to work while still being infected with the virus.

The Department of Health said 17,337 patients have died in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK as of 5pm on Monday, up by 828 from 16,509 the day before.

Coronavirus was linked to a third of all deaths in England and Wales in the week up to April 10, with the total number of care home deaths increasing almost six-fold in seven days to more than 1,000, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).