Coronavirus: Another 778 deaths in UK hospitals takes total past 12,000
Figures from the Office for National Statistics suggest the true death toll is higher, with many dying in care homes and hospices.
Tuesday 14 April 2020 15:34, UK
Another 778 patients with coronavirus have died in hospitals across the UK, taking the nationwide total to 12,107.
The number of tests for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, has also risen by 14,982 to 382,650, although this figure includes some patients being tested more than once.
According to the Department of Health, 93,873 people have now tested positive in the UK.
Once again, figures were also provided by health authorities in each of the home nations, which collate their stats at different times throughout the day and so may not tally up to the government's overall total.
NHS England announced another 744 coronavirus patients had died in hospitals in England, taking the total in the country to 11,005.
Those latest fatalities were aged between 34 and 102 - and 58 of those (aged between 38 and 96) had no known underlying health conditions.
London recorded the most new deaths with 206, followed by the North West with 143 and the Midlands with 109.
There were 95 in East England, 93 in the North East & Yorkshire, 73 in the South East and 25 in the South West.
Earlier, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that there had been another 40 deaths in hospitals in Scotland.
Public Health Wales confirmed another 19 deaths, while Northern Ireland announced another 10.
According to the regional statistics, the number of deaths of COVID-19 hospital patients stands at:
- England - 11,005
- Scotland - 615
- Wales - 403
- Northern Ireland - 134
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However, the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics released earlier on Tuesday suggested the UK's true coronavirus death toll is far higher than the government's tally.
The numbers showed that 10% of coronavirus-related fatalities in the week ending 3 April did not happen in hospital, with more than half of those happening in care homes.
It came after news at Monday's government coronavirus briefing that 92 care homes had reported outbreaks of the disease in the 24 hours before the conference.
England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said 13.5% of care homes have been affected by the virus, admitting that he would like to see testing increased at care homes.
According to data from some European countries, about half of COVID-19 deaths are happening in care homes.
With the death toll continuing to climb, the UK lockdown is set to be officially extended when the unprecedented measures are formally reviewed on Thursday.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is deputising for the prime minister as he recovers from COVID-19, said social distancing was having an impact but that the UK had still not reached the peak of the outbreak.
Speaking at the same Downing Street news briefing on Monday evening, chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance predicted that this would be a "difficult week" for the UK in terms of deaths.
He said once the UK reaches the peak of its outbreak, the number of cases and deaths will plateau for a few weeks before starting to head downwards.