Hancock says care home virus deaths coming under control

HEALTH SECRETARY Matt Hancock last night claimed the coronavirus epidemic that has caused thousands of deaths in care homes was “coming under control” as he announced an extension of the testing regime.

At the Downing Street press conference, he said adult care homes would now be included in the plan after claiming success in his target of getting staff and residents in elderly care settings a test by early June.

It came as the number of new reported deaths of people testing positive for Covid-19 in the UK fell to 55, the lowest daily total since before lockdown was announced. Mr Hancock said there had also been a 79 per cent fall in the number of people dying in care homes since the peak of the pandemic in late April and early May.

On Sunday, a study warned that the death toll by the end of June from Covid-19 infections and other excess deaths is “likely to approach 59,000 across the entire English population, of which about 34,000 (57 per cent) will have been care home residents”.

Mr Hancock said: “With all the measures we’ve put in place over the last few months, all of the billions of pounds extra we’ve put in, it is clear the epidemic in care homes is coming under control.”

Describing the care home testing programme, he said: “We’ve now sent over a million test kits to almost 9,000 elderly care homes and the care homes themselves asked that they have the flexibility to do the test when it works for them.

“The good news is that the test results so far do not show a significant rise in the number of positive cases despite going through and testing all of the residents and staff. “

Extending the scheme, he said: “We will now make sure that we do all of this in working age care homes as well.

“I can announce that from today all remaining adult care homes in England will be able to order the whole care home testing service for residents and staff.

“This service will benefit residents and staff in over 6,000 more care homes.” Mr Hancock said because coronavirus is “in retreat” the Government could proceed with its plans to ease the lockdown, which include the proposed opening of non-essential shops from June 15. He said the figures on deaths, recorded positive tests and an almost 50 per cent fall in the number of new care home outbreaks were “good news”.

Earlier, it was revealed that a total of 55 deaths were reported to the Department of Health in the 24 hours to 5pm on June 7, including nine in Yorkshire and none in London or Scotland.

The last time this particular number was lower than 55 was for the 24 hours to 5pm on March 21. Deaths can take several days to be recorded and processed before they appear in these particular figures. Fewer deaths are also reported over the weekend, which is why these figures are always lower on Sundays and Mondays.

It is clear the epidemic in care homes is coming under control

Health Secretary Matt Hancock speaking at the Downing Street press conference.