UK reports 616 more cases of coronavirus deaths

The UK has recorded 616 more coronavirus deaths bringing the total number to 18,783, and there are now 138,078 people have now tested positive.

NHS England reported 514 people have died with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland recording 102 deaths.

It was announced that the 514 patients who had died in its hospitals were aged between 31 and 100-years old.

Sixteen of them, the youngest of whom was 37, had no other health problems before they caught the coronavirus.

The trends are showing that the UK will reach over 20,000 hospital deaths by Sunday, dashing the governments hopes of keeping the fatality figures below that number.

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 World Health Organization (WHO) revealed on Thursday that nearly half of all European deaths were in care homes.

Hans Kluge the European director of the WHO said at a press conference in Geneva the coronavirus deaths are “unimaginable human tragedy.”

Kluge warned that staff are lacking vital equipment and are “overstretched and underpaid,” and that “frail” older people have a “good chance of recovery if they are well-cared for.”

Due to the shortage of Covid-19 testing kits those who die in care homes are missed out of the daily statistics.

Kluge said that those who live in care homes are “particularly vulnerable to this virus.”