New data reveals Kirklees care home deaths linked to coronavirus

More than 40 per cent of all coronavirus deaths in Yorkshire happened in care homes in the space of a week, new data has revealed.

Figures released today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed there were a total of 524 deaths in Yorkshire where coronavirus was mentioned on the death certificate, in the week up to May 1 - the latest data available.

And of those deaths 217 (41 per cent) were in care homes, fuelling fears the pandemic remains rife in social care settings.

This was compared to 286 (54 per cent) in hospital.

The figures showed there had been 2,754 coronavirus-related deaths in Yorkshire since the beginning of the year.

Of the total number, 133 (4.8 per cent) people died at home, 864 (31.3 per cent) were in care homes, 1,706 (61.9 per cent) were in hospital, and 27 (0.9 per cent) were in hospices. Some 24 (0.8 per cent) were recorded as having died elsewhere.

The total number of coronavirus related deaths in Yorkshire, up to May 1, by local authority area are:

Hull - 82

East Riding of Yorkshire - 156

City of York - 94

Craven - 48

Hambleton - 53

Harrogate - 98

Richmondshire - 24

Ryedale - 21

Scarborough - 54

Selby - 22

Barnsley - 135

Doncaster - 115

Rotherham - 193

Sheffield - 375

Bradford - 307

Calderdale - 89

Kirklees - 203

Leeds - 468

Wakefield - 217

Analysis now puts the number of deaths involving Covid-19 in the UK at over 40,000.

Separate data, which is reported daily, showed at least 2,159 people had died in Yorkshire’s hospitals after testing positive for coronavirus.

Data from the ONS shows that between the week ending March 27 – towards the start of the outbreak – and May 1, some 108,345 deaths were registered in England and Wales.

This is 46,494 more deaths than the five-year average, with Covid-19 contributing to 75 per cent of the excess fatalities.

These non-coronavirus related deaths are being investigated by ONS, which says it will publish detailed analysis on this in the future.

When looking at the figures by date of death, they suggest a peak in daily care home deaths may have taken place on April 17, when 415 deaths occurred.

During the following week, daily deaths declined consecutively for all days but one – April 22, when deaths rose by 20.

The corresponding peak for deaths in hospitals is April 8, when 983 occurred.

In the week ending May 1, there were 17,953 deaths registered across England and Wales – a decrease for the second week running.