Epidemic has killed 1 in 16 care home residents, figures show

THE coronavirus epidemic has killed one in 16 care home residents in England and Wales, analysis by The Daily Telegraph suggests.

The Government has been widely criticised for sending untested hospital patients into care homes from midmarch in a bid to clear bed space. Managers claim the policy spread the virus in homes that had been shielding residents for several weeks.

Data show there have been 26,211 excess deaths in care homes when compared with the five-year average for the same time period.

Figures released yesterday by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show 11,614 of the deaths are linked to coronavirus, while half are due to other reasons.

Although some of the excess deaths may be undiagnosed Covid-19, charities have warned that many frail older people have died because of the dis- ruption to normal social and medical care, and a loss of routine.

Nearly half of the excess deaths − more than 5,400 − are people with dementia. There are 411,000 people living in care homes in England and Wales and the data shows that more than six per cent − or one in 16 − has died since the spring.

Nick Stripe, head of health analysis at the ONS, said some deaths involving the virus in care homes “will have brought forward deaths that might otherwise have happened relatively soon”.

“We might expect deaths not involving Covid in care homes to fall below five-year average in the next few weeks,” he added. The ONS data shows there have now been a total of 63,499 excess deaths across the UK since the first week of March.

The total number of deaths that have officially been linked to Covid-19 across the UK is 50,796.

The excess death toll of people dying at home in England and Wales is now almost as high as those in hospitals.

Since the first week of March there have been 14,819 excess deaths in properties in England and Wales compared to 16,044 excess deaths in hospitals − all of which can be attributed to Covid-19. Only 1,969 of the excess deaths at home have been linked to the virus.

There are fears that the impact of closing many community health services has had a major impact on people with chronic conditions, while the “Protect the NHS” message led to many people avoiding hospitals.

A separate study by the University of Manchester suggests 21 per cent of excess fatalities that had taken place in England and Wales by early May were not linked to Covid-19.