Spikes or dips may in part reflect bottlenecks in the reporting system, rather than real changes in the trend.

Image source, OTHER

Here's something to put a smile on your face - a letter exchange between a 93-year-old man and his five-year-old neighbour.

Louisa, 23, from Wolverhampton, said her grandfather Ron, who is self-isolating, received the letter from his neighbour last week along with a drawing of a rainbow "to remind you that you are not alone".

Ron replied to say he was "so pleased" to receive the letter and added: "It was so nice to hear of your concern for me."

Louisa's post on Twitter has now been shared thousands of times and has over 96,000 likes.

"The reason it was so lovely is because we don’t really know the neighbours very well," she said. "They exchange Christmas cards and say hello, but it was purely spontaneous, he just got this letter through his door.

"When he first got it he just said it was lovely and he was really happy that someone had thought of him."

She added: "I just think it’s lovely. I posted it on because I thought it would make people smile."

With the UK economy in crisis, many sectors are still demanding further help from the government.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Tom Davis

New homes for former homeless people in Coventry have opened.

Image source, Google

Refurbishment of the accommodation, formally known as Frank Walsh House, in Hillfields, started last November but has officially opened this week.

The scheme, launched by Citizen and supported by £280,000 funding from the city council, will provide 44 flats for individuals with support needs.

The flats will be used to accommodate people who until recently were living in night shelters or on the streets.

Crewe Alexandra Football Club has furloughed all of its staff and players.

The club said the decision has been made in order to protect its long term viability in uncertain times.

Image source, Getty Images

All professional football in the UK has been suspended until further notice and Crewe aren't the only club to make this move, but some clubs have decided to carry on paying their staff.

BBC Weather Watchers

The BBC Weather Watchers have been enjoying some of this sunshine, while out on their daily exercise.

These photos were taken at Clee Hill, Barton under Needwood and Rushbury.

Image source, Skye

Image source, Scotty

Image source, Peter Steggles

Former Wolves players have been contacting any of the club's fans who are self-isolating.

Supporter's who might not have friends or family support are being offered help with groceries and prescription collections.

The fine could reach £960 if the man's son, who was abusive to police in Walsall, goes out again.

Young people in Shropshire are invited to take part in a range of activities organised by the region's Wildlife Trust.

The Shropshire Wildlife Trust has changed its regular timetable to offer online sessions, external for toddlers, school-age children and others while they are in lockdown at home.

Image source, Holly Jones/Wildlife Trust

Live story-telling sessions and daily challenges are posted on the trust's Facebook, external and activity page, external.

Bryony Carter of the trust said it is important that both children and adults experience the natural world in whatever way they can during the pandemic.

Stories about life in lockdown are being asked for by a museum and art gallery, so they can be recorded for posterity.

"Diaries can, at first glance, sometimes seem mundane and unimportant, but they are invaluable historical documents," Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council said.

Entries will be collected and collated by Nuneaton Museum and Art Gallery.

Staff are being recruited to work at the new Nightingale hospital near Birmingham.

The hospital, with a 500-bed capacity, is due to open at the weekend at the NEC after a sister site in London opened on Friday.

Image source, PA Media

The sites are emergency facilities to treat coronavirus patients.

Clinical and non-clinical staff are also needed at acute hospitals in the city, said the University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Hospitals seeking staff include Heartlands, Good Hope, Queen Elizabeth and Solihull.

All roles, including doctors, nurses and administration staff will involve working in "challenging situations as we provide the best care possible to all our patients at this difficult time," the trust added.

Boris Johnson is "in very good hands", says Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is deputising for the PM.

A senior West Midlands Police officer, on a ventilator with Covid-19 symptoms for more than a week, is "moving in the right direction,"

Image source, West Midlands Police

Ch Supt Phil Dolby is being treated in an intensive care unit after becoming unwell more than two weeks ago.

Mr Dolby, in charge of the force's criminal justice services, "is still very poorly and things are being taken one day at a time," the force tweeted, , external"however he is moving in the right direction."

"His family appreciate your supportive words and prayers," it added.

One council warns it would be impossible to keep services going if relief was applied "across the board".

Thousands of people have been missed off the government's high risk list for Covid-19 despite meeting the criteria.

Among them have been transplant patients, people with asthma and some with rare lung diseases.

Image source, Liz Goldfinch

Among them is 79-year-old Liz Goldfinch who said she'd be fairly unlikely to survive if she got coronavirus.

Mrs Goldfinch, from Droitwich in Worcestershire, is self-isolating with her 88-year-old husband as she has cryptogenic organising pneumonia (COP) - a rare lung condition - and Parkinson's disease.

"I haven't yet received a letter and if I have been missed off the list I feel pretty annoyed and worried I suppose," she said.

You can read more on the story here.

The lockdown means pubs can be seen as targets by "opportunistic thieves" police said.

If you're self-isolating and don't have the support of friends and family, then #StokeonTrentTogether may be able to help.

Image source, AFP/Getty Images

Stoke-on-Trent City Council's working alongside local charity VAST. They can help you get basic food supplies or even do some dog walking.

Nearly 400 volunteers have already registered, but more help is needed. Find out more on its website, external.

Danny Shaw
BBC Home Affairs Correspondent

The number of prisoners who've died after contracting coronavirus has risen to nine, according to internal figures seen by BBC News.

This includes an inmate at HMP Birmingham.

The Ministry of Justice has confirmed the figures.

They were among 107 prisoners who had tested positive for the virus across 38 prisons in England and Wales - about one-third of the total.

Official statistics, collected on Sunday evening but which have not been made public, show the prisons with the most number of cases were Wandsworth in south-west London, which had 11, Oakwood, near Wolverhampton and Thameside, south-east London, both with seven.

Six prisoners had tested positive at Littlehey, Manchester and Swinfen Hall, Staffordshire.

Stories making the headlines across the West Midlands:

• Birmingham Live: Police called as 60 mourners attend funeral breaking strict coronavirus rules, external
• Express and Star: Tributes continue to beloved Wolverhampton bishop, external
• Stoke-on-Trent Live: School's 3D printer now making visors to help in fight against coronavirus, external

The supermarket chain is opening a store just for NHS staff at the new Nightingale hospital.