Covid-19 Death Rate In Care Homes Continues To Fall
The number of COVID-19 related deaths has continued to fall this month as the coronavirus pandemic begins to alleviate.
The Office for National Statistics said there were 1,588 deaths in England and Wales in the seven days to June 5 that mentioned Covid-19.
This is 234 fewer than the previous week and the lowest weekly total since March, and is another indication that the pandemic is easing.
The year-to-date analysis revealed that, of deaths involving the coronavirus (COVID-19) up to Week 23 (week ending 5 June 2020), 63.7% (30,175 deaths) occurred in hospital, with the remainder occurring in care homes (14,028 deaths), private homes (2,152 deaths), hospices (640 deaths), other communal establishments (214 deaths), and elsewhere (178 deaths).
In Week 23, the proportion of deaths occurring in care homes decreased to 22.6%, while deaths involving COVID-19 as a percentage of all deaths in care homes decreased to 23.4%.
In Week 23, the number of deaths in care homes was 335 higher than the five-year average, while in hospitals the number of deaths was 538 fewer than the five-year average; the total number of excess deaths involving COVID-19 continued to decrease.
Responding to the latest figures Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:
“Every week we are painfully reminded of each one of the lives tragically lost to this dreadful disease. Our thoughts go out to those family and friends in mourning at this difficult time.
“Social care remains the frontline in the fight against coronavirus and while it is clear we are now past the peak of the virus in care homes, it is still seriously concerning that nearly a third of all deaths from COVID-19 continues to happen in these settings.
“We have also seen a slight weekly increase in the number of people dying from COVID-19 in their own homes and other communal settings, which is equally worrying.
“Excess deaths in care homes and private homes continue to be higher than the five-year average, compared to hospitals which have seen a decline, leaving our older people and most vulnerable at risk.
“Councils are doing all they can to protect those in care homes, as well as those receiving care in their own homes. Every council in England has prepared plans on how to support all care homes in their areas to control and prevent future infection outbreaks, working alongside the NHS locally and with Public Health England.
“The Government needs to ensure that councils and social care services have all the resources they need for the weeks and months ahead. The LGA will also be working closely with the new National COVID-19 Social Care Support Taskforce to tackle these issues and help guide social care through this current crisis and beyond.”
