Care Home Deaths Rise Due To Coronavirus Latest ONS Figures Reveal

The number of care home coronavirus deaths have risen for the second week in a row, according to the latest Office of National Statistics (ONS) figures published this week.

The number of COVID-related deaths occurring in care homes in England and Wales rose to 43 in the week ending August 21, up by three deaths on the previous week, which also revealed an increase for the first time in four months.

The ONS reported that of all deaths involving COVID-19 registered up to week 34, 29.6% occurred in care homes.

Separate data collated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has revealed that

16 coronavirus deaths were reported by England’s care homes in the week ending 28 August, down from 26 deaths the previous week..

The CQC figures reflect an overall downward trend in care home COVID-19 deaths in England for the last four and a half months from a pandemic peak of 2,746 deaths in care homes which occurred in the week ending 24 April.

In total, there have been 14,193 coronavirus deaths of care home residents in England between 10 April and 28 August.

The year-to-date analysis shows that, of deaths involving the coronavirus (COVID-19) up to Week 32 (week ending 7 August 2020), 63.4% (32,906 deaths) occurred in hospital, with the remainder occurring in care homes (15,375 deaths), private homes (2,443 deaths), hospices (738 deaths), other communal establishments (220 deaths) and elsewhere (197 deaths).

Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, said last week: “The ONS data shows that the COVID-19 pandemic is still a real danger for care services and the government must continue to offer financial and practical support to the sector.”

Mike Padgham, chair of The Independent Care Group, said: “The one thing we fear more than anything else is a second wave of coronavirus, particularly as we are edging closer to autumn and winter”.