47 virus deaths in region’s care homes in month

MORE than 45 coronavirus-related deaths were registered in the region’s care homes last month, the latest data from the ONS shows.

Across Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset care homes, 47 deaths linked to Covid-19 were recorded in December – a 67 per cent increase from the previous month.

South Gloucestershire care homes – where 26 coronavirusrelated deaths were registered in December – accounted for more than half of the region’s care homes deaths.

During England’s second lockdown in November, South Gloucestershire also recorded the region’s highest number of Covid-19 care home deaths (14) and the council has previously said it had seen a number of outbreaks in its care homes in recent weeks.

The latest provisional data from the ONS – which goes up to January 8 – shows that South Gloucestershire care homes had ten

Covid-related deaths in the first five days of December alone.

However, only one death has been recorded in January so far, the data shows, which takes the area’s total number of deaths to 119.

In comparison, 10 deaths linked to covid-19 were recorded in Bristol care homes in December.

The data also shows that, in the first eight days of January, six deaths were registered – including three on January 4.

Overall, Bristol continues to have the highest number of coronavirusrelated deaths in its care homes across the region, with the total number of deaths being 171.

In December, eight deaths were recorded in North Somerset care homes that were linked to Covid-19.

However, looking at the data for January so far, the area seems to be experiencing a spike in deaths as, in the first eight days of January, six deaths have been registered.

This brings the total of coronavirus-related deaths in North Somerset care homes to 77.

Bath and North East Somerset – which has had a total of 54 Covid-19 deaths in its care homes – registered the fewest coronavirus deaths in its care homes in December (3) and has only registered one death so far this month.