Highest weekly death toll in 20 years as new figures show Covid-19 deaths could be 41 per cent higher

England and Wales experienced the highest weekly death toll in 20 years as deaths involving coronavirus were 41 per cent higher than previously recorded, ONS data has revealed.

The Department of Health recorded 9,288 hospital deaths involving Covid-19 in England and Wales by April 10.

However, the ONS has released new figures revealing that there were 13,121 deaths involving Covid-19 by April 10. 1,043 of those deaths took place in care homes.

This difference between the numbers published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and those published by NHS England and Public Health Wales is because of different methods of counting and reporting, the ONS said.

In the week leading up to April 10 2020 there were 18,500 deaths, 10,000 more deaths than is normal at that time of year.

Nick Stripe head of Health Analysis at the ONS told the BBC that it is the highest number of deaths in one week since January 2000.

He added that it will take years to work out how many of these deaths were due to people avoiding going to A&E out of fear of contracting coronavirus.

There were 1,662 deaths involving Covid-19 in England and Wales registered up to April 10 that occurred outside hospitals.

Of these 1,043 took place in care homes, 466 in private homes, 87 in hospices, 21 in other communal establishments, and 45 elsewhere.

The ONS death figures are based on the number of deaths registered in England and Wales, where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate as “deaths involving Covid-19”.

The number includes all deaths, not just those in hospitals.

There is usually a delay of at least five days between a death occurring and registration.

The figures published by NHS England and Public Health Wales are for deaths only among hospital patients who have tested positive for Covid-19.

These include deaths that have not yet been registered.