UK coronavirus death toll passes 53,000 according to latest ONS figures

Credit: AP / PA

The coronavirus death toll in the UK has passed 53,000, new figures suggest.

The numbers released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) are higher than the death toll of 41,736 given by the government as they include all deaths where Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate.

The figures announced by the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) only take into account fatalities where coronavirus is listed as a cause of death.

The figure of more than 53,000 announced by the government includes 47,820 deaths occurring up to June 5 involving Covid-19 in England and Wales.

While data from the National Records for Scotland showed 4,000 deaths involving the virus were registered up to June 7.

In Northern Ireland, latest figures showed 779 deaths involving Covid-19 had occurred up to June 5.

These reports added to the latest figures reported by health officials across the nations since early June suggests the overall death toll for the UK now stands at 53,077.

The figures come as England's lockdown measures were further eased on Monday. Credit: PA

The ONS release shows the number of excess deaths in the UK since the coronavirus outbreak began has now passed 64,000 - suggesting people may be staying away from hospitals and GP surgeries for treatment for other ailments and that the respiratory disease is having a knock-on impact on other areas of the NHS.

In the last week, there were 732 more deaths than average in England and Wales, however, the number of deaths in hospitals was 538 fewer than what would be expected - again suggesting people are not seeking hospital treatment due to fears over coronavirus.

While hospital deaths fell, the number of deaths in care homes in England and Wales remains 335 higher that average for the week ending June 5.

The ONS figures also show that the total number of excess deaths involving coronavirus has continued to decrease, however, with the number of deaths registered in the week ending 5 June at its lowest number in the past nine weeks.

Of Covid-19 deaths occurring in care homes in England and Wales, the ONS reported a total of 14,022 registered up to June 13.

In the last full week for which we have data, the proportion of deaths occurring in care homes was shown to be decreasing - deaths involving Covid-19 made up 22.6% of all deaths in care homes.

Deaths involving coronavirus continue to occur mostly in hospital, with 63.7% of deaths registered up to June 5 taking place in hospital.

But care homes make up the majority of the remainder, with 29.6% of deaths involving Covid-19 registered in the same time period taking place there.

Up to June 5, 4.5% of deaths involving coronavirus occurred in private homes.

Coronavirus: Everything you need to know