You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Coronavirus deaths in care homes rise by more than 1,500 in a week
The number of coronavirus deaths registered in care homes across England and Wales has risen to nearly 6,000, official data has shown.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for the week ending 24 April found that deaths in care homes rose by 1,547 on the week before to 5,890 since the outbreak began.
Figures from the ONS for the previous week showed that COVID-19 deaths stood at 4,343 in care homes.
In week 17 – the week ending 24 April – the proportion of deaths occurring in care homes that involved COVID-19 was 35.3%, accounting for 2,794 deaths.
READ MORE
The data on care home deaths is the result of joint working between the ONS and the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which began publishing counts of deaths reported by care homes on 28 April.
The ONS figures show that there were 29,710 deaths involving COVID-19 in England and Wales up to 24 April.
But just 22,173 deaths of people in England and Wales testing positive for coronavirus were reported by the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) for the same period.
This is because the ONS counts any death in which COVID-19 is included on the death certificate but the DHSC includes this only if it is specifically recorded as the cause of death.
The figures came as sector leaders warned that increases in testing for care home staff have begun too late.
Ian Hudspeth, chair of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board and leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “This appalling loss of life in our care homes and communities is another stark reminder of just how much more must be done to protect our most elderly and vulnerable.
“Every death from this virus is a tragedy, leaving behind family and friends in mourning.
“Social care is the frontline in the fight against coronavirus and we need to do all we can to shield people in care homes and those receiving care in their own homes.”
