The true extent of Britain’s Covid-19 death toll was more than 40% higher than the government’s daily figures indicated as of April 10, according to data that put the country on track to become among the worst-hit in Europe.
The Office for National Statistics said it recorded 13,121 deaths by April 10 in England and Wales, which account for the vast majority of Britain’s population, compared with 9,288 in the government’s daily toll for those who died in hospital. The ONS figures include deaths in care homes — which have doubled in less than a month — as well as in hospitals.
“The sharp rise in care home deaths is deeply alarming — this could be the second front in the battle against Covid-19,” said Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents organisations across the healthcare sector.
Around 84% of Covid-19 deaths have taken place in hospitals, with the remainder in care homes, private residences and hospices, the ONS said.
Britain, which scientists say is probably now around the peak of the outbreak, has reported the world’s fifth-highest national death toll from Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus.
The global death toll from Covid-19 now stands at around 170,000. The latest hospital death data show 17,337 people had died after testing positive for coronavirus across the UK as of this Monday.
If these figures underestimate the overall death toll by a similar amount, then the true human cost for the UK as a whole could be above 23,000 based on the latest data — making it the second worst hit in Europe after Italy.
However, the difference between the initial daily figures published by the government and the later ONS data has narrowed with each week that passes, and may have reduced further by the time the ONS reports on the latest toll.
Still, yesterday’s figures are likely to raise further questions about the government’s decision to impose its lockdown of society at a later date than European peers, many of which have had less severe outbreaks of the novel coronavirus.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is still on sick leave after falling ill with Covid-19 as his ministers attempt to tackle urgent issues such as a shortage of personal protective equipment for health workers.