Government admits UK death toll is likely to ‘be double’

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there were 975 coronavirus deaths in care homes in England by April 10.

The government has admitted the actual number of deaths is likely to be double this.

In a statement with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the Government said, “It is anticipated that the number of deaths in care homes relating to Covid-19 reported by providers between 11 April and 15 April could be double the number of care home deaths reported yesterday.

“In common with the ONS, CQC’s preliminary analysis also indicates there may be a significant rise in non-Covid-19 deaths.”

The Department of Health said on Wednesday that 763 more people have died from coronavirus in hospitals across the UK.

There are now 133,495 known people infected with the virus and 18,100 people have now died in hospital from coronavirus across the UK.

England’s deputy medical officer, Professor Jonathan Van Tam, warned on Wednesday, “We are not out of danger yet. We must keep pushing on this.”

The Health Secretary Matt Hancock to the House of Commons on Wednesday that “we are at the peak” of the coronavirus pandemic.

Hancock paid tribute to those who have died since the start of the crisis hitting the UK. He announced that the NHS now has over 3,000 spare critical care beds.

Military sources have hit out at the NHS’s distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the coronavirus pandemic.

Military personnel blasted the NHS over their “appalling handling” in issuing PPE to their staff and where it needs to go.