UK records more coronavirus deaths, taking death toll past 27,000

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UK records 427 more coronavirus deaths – taking Britain’s official COVID-19 fatality count to 27,198

  • NHS England today confirmed another 352 COVID-19 victims in hospitals 
  • Scotland announced 40 more fatalities, Northern Ireland 18 and Wales 17
  • Those three countries now record care home deaths in their daily update
  • The Department of Health gives the true number of deaths outside hospitals
  • It has yet to post the official daily update – they should be published at 2pm
  • The DH doesn’t reveal how many COVID-19 deaths occurred outside of hospital
  • Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19

By Stephen Matthews Health Editor For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

The UK today announced 427 more coronavirus deaths, taking Britain’s official fatality toll to 27,180. 

NHS England confirmed another 352 COVID-19 victims in hospitals. But the number of deaths elsewhere in the community has yet to be revealed.

Scotland today announced 40 more fatalities, Northern Ireland posted 18 and Wales recorded 17 more – all three of the counts include care home deaths. 

The Department of Health has yet to post the official daily update, which takes into account all fatalities outside of hospital. But it does not provide a clear breakdown of how many occurred in different settings, such as hospitals. 

It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson last night confirmed the nation is past the peak of the outbreak, with the darkest days now behind us.

In another tumultuous day of coronavirus developments:

  • Ministers were warned the ‘stay at home’ messaging may have worked too well amid fears ‘coronaphobia’ could stop the UK getting back up and running;
  • An interactive map has broken down exactly how many coronavirus deaths have been recorded across England and Wales;
  • A top midwife warned coronavirus could lead to a surge in baby deaths because women enduring a difficult pregnancy are afraid to go to hospitals;
  • Ministers faced demands to push for South Korea-style contact tracing amid signs that the 100,000 a day target for coronavirus tests has been met; 
  • Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused Prime Minister Boris Johnson of being ‘slow at every turn’ in the response to the crisis; 
  • Ryanair announced 3,000 job cuts as it revealed it expects to operate under 1 per cent of its schedule between April and June.

NHS England is the only body that provides an exact breakdown of the number of deaths in hospitals. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland include fatalities in care homes that tested positive in their daily figures, according to health chiefs

Death rates from all causes are higher in poorer areas, the ONS said, but the pandemic appears to be pushing the rates even higher

 Death rates from all causes are higher in poorer areas, the ONS said, but the pandemic appears to be pushing the rates even higher

Boroughs in London accounted for all of the top ten worst hit local authorities, the report showed

Boroughs in London accounted for all of the top ten worst hit local authorities, the report showed

PEOPLE IN POOREST PARTS OF ENGLAND AND WALES ARE DYING FROM COVID-19 AT DOUBLE THE RATE 

An interactive map which reveals deaths by postcode shows that people living in the poorest parts of England and Wales are dying at more than double the rate of those in affluent areas.

The map, included in the latest Office for National Statistics report, found that between March 1 and April 17, the most deprived regions suffered 55 deaths per 100,000 people, compared to 25 fatalities in the wealthiest areas.

London – the epicentre of Britain’s outbreak – had the highest mortality rate, with 85.7 deaths per 100,000 people – more than double the national average of 36.2 fatalities. One in four of all coronavirus victims live in the capital.

The London boroughs of Newham, Brent and Hackney were the three worst-hit regions in all of the country, suffering 144, 142 and 127 deaths per 100,000, respectively. 

Ethnic minority groups – who are most vulnerable to COVID-19 – make up the majority of residents in Newham (71 per cent) and Brent (64 per cent). 

Britain’s official daily death toll has not yet been released and the final number is expected to be much higher.

Figures show the UK’s three-day rolling average of daily deaths has reduced since peaking three weeks ago.

April 11 saw the highest daily average toll (1,096). It has since dropped to 793 – but has not fell at a consistent rate because of a recording lag at weekends. 

It comes after an official report today revealed coronavirus death rates are twice as high in the poorest parts of England and Wales. 

Data published by the Office for National Statistics showed the most deprived parts suffered 55 coronavirus deaths per 100,000 people.

The rate was just 25 in the wealthiest areas, according to the report that came with an interactive map showing the breakdown of deaths by postcode. 

London boroughs of Newham, Brent and Hackney were the three worst-hit regions in all of the country, suffering 144, 142 and 127 deaths per 100,000, respectively. 

Hastings, in affluent East Sussex, and Norwich had the lowest COVID-19 death rates – suffering six and five deaths per 100,000, respectively.

Ethnic minority groups – who are most vulnerable to COVID-19 – make up the majority of residents in Newham (71 per cent) and Brent (64 per cent).

Whereas the overwhelming majority of residents in Hastings and Norwich are white, with just 9 per cent and 6 per cent coming from minority backgrounds.

A separate report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) released today found black and Asian Britons are two-and-a-half times more likely to die from COVID-19.