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Unexplained 'excess' deaths in care homes almost as high as confirmed coronavirus victims, data reveals

Care home
Care home
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Coronavirus Article Bar with counter

The number of unexplained “excess” deaths in care homes is almost as high as their number of confirmed coronavirus victims, government data reveals.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published new figures revealing that 12,526 care home residents in England and Wales died of coronavirus between December and May. This figure equates to 17.1 per cent of all deaths in care home residents in the year-to-date.

That number is significantly higher than previously reported figures because it includes both deaths from Covid-19 within care homes, as well as residents who died after being taken to hospital with the virus.

However, the data also shows that a further 10,610 “excess” deaths were recorded in nursing and residential homes during the period.

The ONS said: “We are looking into excess of non-COVID-19 deaths and will be publishing more on this soon.”

Earlier this week The Telegraph reported Age UK had issued a warning that stress and anxiety caused by the coronavirus lockdown is fuelling cases of malnutrition among Britain's elderly.

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The charity said the excess deaths in care homes could potentially be attributed to extra stress.

Researchers from the charity said that the key reasons for excess deaths among older people who are care home residents will be: under-diagnosed Covid-19 deaths (not recognised because of a lack of testing, symptoms showing differently in very old/frail people, lack of access to health care) and deaths from other causes because of a lack of access to timely health care.

These excess deaths were recorded during a period when doctors were unable to visit and care homes were discouraged from sending residents to hospital.

The figures come after the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) announced it was considering whether human rights laws were breached by hospitals discharging older patients into care homes.

The ONS data also showed that the provisional number of deaths of care home residents in England and Wales from December 28 to May 1 was 73,180, which was 23,136 more than the same period last year.

Of the 12,526 deaths of care home residents linked to novel coronavirus, 11,371 were classified as confirmed cases and 1,155 as “suspected” by a certifying doctor, usually because a test was not undertaken.

The ONS said that 72.2 per cent of deaths linked to Covid-19 were in care homes and in 27.5% of cases the resident died in hospital.

It said: “At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, more deaths involving Covid-19 among care home residents occurred within the hospital setting.

“However, deaths within care homes increased more rapidly, and deaths within care homes became more prevalent from the start of April 2020.”