There have been over 12,500 deaths in U.K. care homes across a two month period.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) there were a total of 12,526 care home residents deaths involving COVID-19 between March 2 and May 1 this year, accounting for 27.3 percent of all deaths of care home residents, which saw 45,899 people die in care homes overall.
The ONS said: “#COVID19 was the leading cause of death for male care home residents, accounting for 30.3% of deaths.
“For female care home residents, it was the second-leading cause, accounting for 23.5% of all deaths.”
The figures also show that 23,136 more care home residents died between December 28, 2019, and May 1, 2020, than had died in the previous year.
Earlier this week Prime Minister Boris Johnson was asked by the leader of the Labour Party, Keir Starmer, to explain an additional “10,000 deaths in care homes” for the month of April
Starmer said: “The ONS records the average number of deaths in care homes each month. For the last five years, the average for April has been just over 8,000.
“This year the number of deaths in care homes for April was a staggering 26,000 – that’s three times the average – 18,000 additional deaths this April.
“Using the Government’s figures only 8,000 are recorded as COVID deaths, that leaves 10,000 additional and unexplained care home deaths this April.”
The prime minister rejected claims that the government had been too slow to respond to the outbreak of the virus in care homes and said government data showed the number of outbreaks and deaths in care homes was falling.
Johnson said: “Coronavirus is an appalling disease which afflicts some groups far more than others, I think the whole country understands and in particular the elderly.
“And he’s right to draw attention as I’ve said to the tragedy that has been taking place in care homes.
“The Office for National Statistics is responsible for producing the data that they have.
“The government has also produced data which not only shows that there has been, as I say, a terrible epidemic in care homes but since the care homes action plan began we’re are seeing an appreciable and substantial reduction not just in the number of outbreaks but also in the number of deaths.”
