UK coronavirus death toll 41% higher than reported

The true number of coronavirus victims in the UK may still be 41 per cent higher than daily Government statistics are letting on.

Weekly data published today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that at least 13,121 people had died in England and Wales by April 10.

Department of Health statistics had, by that date, announced only 9,288 fatalities – the backdated deaths increased the total by 41.2 per cent. That suggests the death toll of 16,509 confirmed yesterday could actually be more like 23,000.

And care homes in England and Wales had recorded the deaths of at least 1,644 residents by April 10 – today’s figures reveal one of the first real glimpses of the crisis unfolding in the care industry.

Fifteen per cent of all the people dying with COVID-19 were succumbing to their illness outside of hospitals, the stats showed, revealing the crisis cannot be managed solely by the NHS.

And one in every three people (33.6 per cent) who died between April 3 and April 10 had coronavirus.

‘This shows the terrible toll that coronavirus is having on elderly and disabled people in care homes,’ said Liz Kendall, the Labour Party’s shadow minister for social care.

‘Yet these awful figures are only scratching the surface of the emerging crisis in social care, because they are already 11 days out of date.

‘The Government must now publish daily figures of COVID-19 deaths outside hospital, including in care homes, so we know the true scale of the problem.

‘This is essential to tackling the spread of the virus, ensuing social care has the resources it needs and getting vital PPE and testing to care workers on the frontline.’