Care home coronavirus-related deaths surpasses 8,000 in England and Wales

The number of care home deaths linked to coronavirus has risen to 8,312 for the period up to May 1 in England and Wales, new figures reveal.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), deaths in care homes made up 40.4% of the overall number of coronavirus fatalities.

Covid-19 was mentioned on a third of all 17,953 death certificates in the two countries that week.

The number of Covid-19 linked care home deaths continues to rise. Credit: ONS

Of all deaths involving coronavirus up to May 1, some 22,873 took place in hospitals, while 10,535 were elsewhere.

Of these:

  • 8,312 took place in care homes

  • 1,562 were in private homes

  • 386 occurred in hospices

  • 142 took place in other communal establishments

  • 133 happened elsewhere

Figures published by ONS on the total number of fatalities since the start of the outbreak is still 6,495 higher than the Department for Health's (DoH) figures during the same period.

The reason for the stark disparity in figures is due to the fact the DoH figures for the period only included deaths in hospitals.

However, the total number of deaths which included Covid-19 on death certificates in England and Wales did decrease by more than 2,000 for a second consecutive week.

There were 6,035 in the week ending 1 May, compared to 8,237 the previous week.

For the first time there was a decrease in all regions on the previous week and it was the South East region which accounted for the biggest share, not London.

But Nick Stripe, head of health analysis at the ONS, said this is still around 8,000 deaths above the average for this time of year.

Speaking to BBC News, he said: "That is about 4,000 lower than it was the week before but it is still 8,000 above the average that we would expect to see in this week at this time of year."

"So it is actually the seventh highest weekly total since this data set started in 1993 so we have had four out of the top seven weeks in the last four weeks," he added.

Separate analysis shows there were 8,314 deaths in care homes involving coronavirus reported by care home providers in England to the Care Quality Commission between April 10 and May 8, according to the ONS.

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