UK coronavirus records 40,000 deaths

The UK records 40,000 coronavirus deaths according to new analysis of the latest official figures, making it the worst in Europe.

That is the world’s second highest death toll after the United States, whose population is nearly five times bigger.

Shocking new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have also revealed that almost 40% of deaths are in care homes. There were 8,312 coronavirus-related care home deaths registered up to May 1 in England and Wales, the ONS said.

The ONS figures show that 35,044 deaths involving Covid-19 occurred in England and Wales up to May 1. The latest figures from the National Records of Scotland showed 2,795 deaths involving Covid-19 had been registered in Scotland up to May 3.

And the latest figures from Northern Ireland showed 516 deaths involving Covid-19 had been registered in the country up to May 6.
Together these figures mean that so far 38,355 deaths have been registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, including suspected cases.

News by experts have also cautioned that international comparisons are difficult to make as this stage because countries record deaths so differently.

Yesterday, the Department of Health (DoH) said 100,490 tests were conducted in the 24 hours to 9am on Sunday, which was the first time the Government successfully reached its 100,000 test target for nine days.

The DoH puts the number of confirmed new coronavirus cases so far at 223,060 and the number of deaths at 32,065, significantly lower than the latest ONS figures.