UK coronavirus death toll rises above 32,000 and may be highest in Europe

NHS workers in PPE at Queens Hospital

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Imogen Braddick5 May 2020

The coronavirus death toll in the UK has risen to more than 32,000 - and may now be the highest in Europe.

Data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Tuesday revealed that 29,648 deaths linked to coronavirus had taken place in England and Wales as of April 24.

Including deaths for Scotland and Northern Ireland, this takes the total death toll to 32,313, according to calculations by Reuters.

This figure far exceeds the death toll in Italy, Europe's worst-hit country until now, which stands at 29,029, according to John Hopkins data.

John Hopkins currently states the UK has 28,809 deaths.

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According to the ONS data, 71.8 per cent (19,643 deaths) of the deaths registered up to April 24 occurred in hospitals.

Some 5,890 deaths took place in care homes, 1,306 in private homes, 301 in hospices, 105 in other communal establishments, and 111 elsewhere.

There were 2,794 care home deaths linked to Covid-19 and registered in the week ending April 24, up from 2,050 during the previous seven days. This is an increase of 36 per cent.

The number of registered deaths occurring in hospitals fell from 6,107 in the week ending April 17 to 4,841 in the week ending April 24 – a decrease of 21 per cent.

The ONS said the numbers are based on where Covid-19 is mentioned anywhere on the death certificate, including in combination with other health conditions.

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Previously, daily figures on new coronavirus cases and deaths published by Public Health England included only hospital deaths.

It began reporting deaths in all settings last week.

It comes as separate data showed care homes notified the Care Quality Commission (CQC) of 6,391 deaths of residents in homes between April 10 and May 1.