[ad_1]
More than 4,300 people in nursing homes in England and Wales died from Covid-19 in a fortnight, according to official figures showing a sharp rise in mortality outside of hospitals.
The latest figures mean that more than 25,000 people have died across the UK after contracting coronavirus.
Data collected by the nursing home regulator, first published Tuesday by the Office of National Statistics, showed that nursing homes reported 4,343 deaths from coronavirus from April 10 to 24.
Half of them arrived in the past five days, indicating an accelerated death toll.
It marks a sharp increase in the official death toll in nursing homes, which stood at 1,043 as of April 10.
The ONS warned that the figures, collected from death certificates by the Care Quality Commission, may still be underestimated due to delays in reporting. Nursing home operators have said the outbreak in nursing homes is not yet in full swing.
Figures compiled by The Guardian from the largest care home chains have shown an increase in the number of Covid-19 deaths in residential and nursing homes by between 50% and 79% in the past one to two weeks.
Sam Monaghan, the chief executive of MHA, the world’s largest charity nursing home operator, which has lost 294 residents to confirmed or suspected coronavirus, said the figures began to show “what we have known for a few weeks now, that households of care are unfortunately the most affected area of society in terms of Covid-19 deaths. “
Vic Rayner, executive director of the National Care Forum, said the figures showed “the urgent need for daily monitoring of all Covid-19 deaths as a key priority for the government” and called for a “steel ring” around attention houses.
“They need the right PPE equipment, medical monitoring devices, rapid and comprehensive testing, adequate funding, and intensive research to protect the caregivers,” he said. “This virus will not go away; these data show that the mantra” whatever it takes “must be applied urgently to protect the most vulnerable in social care, as we have done with the NHS.”
The World Health Organization recommends that people take simple precautions to reduce exposure and transmission of the coronavirus, for which there is no specific cure or vaccine.
The UN agency advises people to:
- Wash your hands often with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or warm soapy water
- Cover your mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or handkerchief when sneezing or coughing
- Avoid close contact with anyone who has a fever or cough
- Seek early medical help if you have a fever, cough, and shortness of breath, and share your travel history with healthcare providers.
- Tips on masks vary. Using them while away from home may offer some protection against the spread and capture of the virus through coughing and sneezing, but it is not a guarantee of cast iron protection.
Many countries are now applying or recommending curfews or blockades. Check with local authorities for updated information on the situation in your area.
In the UK, the NHS’s advice is that anyone with symptoms should stay home for at least 7 days.
If you live with other people, must stay home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home.
As of April 17, 22,300 deaths were recorded in England and Wales, where Covid-19 was mentioned on death certificates. The virus accounted for 39% of all deaths, more than half the death toll in London and more than 40% in the northwest and northeast.
Separately, Scottish figures show that on April 19, of the 1,616 deaths from the virus, a third occurred in nursing homes.
The number of deaths in nursing homes where Covid-19 was listed on the death certificate increased significantly from two deaths in the week ending March 20, to 22 deaths, 217 deaths, 1,043 deaths, and 3,093 in the following four weeks. to April 17. , according to the ONS. The CQC figures, which represent one more week but are largely tracing ONS figures, suggest that next week’s ONS data is likely to show more than 5,000 deaths in nursing homes in total.
ONS data must be certified by a doctor, registered and processed, so it is generally published approximately 11 days late.
Labor said the figures showed “the terrible impact Covid-19 is having on people using social care.”
Liz Kendall, Shadow Minister for Social Care, wrote to Health Secretary Matt Hancock asking “whatever it takes” resources for care homes to deal with the pandemic, ensuring PPE for care workers and priority testing for the virus, close to their homes.
She urged him to use the surplus capacity of the NHS, including Nightingale hospitals, to receive people who are discharged from hospital with a positive Covid-19 diagnosis instead of sending them to nursing homes, and also to accept coronavirus sufferers. from care homes that are struggling to cope.
Internationally, the proportion of Covid-19-related deaths in nursing homes ranges from 19% to 72%, according to monitoring by academics at the London School of Economics.
In Ontario, Canada, more than 70% of deaths have occurred in nursing homes, according to the International Long-Term Care Policy Network. According to April 26 figures, 53% of Covid-19 deaths in Belgium occurred in nursing homes. In France, figures released on Saturday, April 25 showed that 38% of deaths occurred in care homes, while another 13% lived in care homes but died in hospital. Last week’s figures suggest that the percentage is 57% in Ireland and 70% in Madrid.
ONS data released Tuesday also showed the increasing impact on deaths from non-Covid-19 causes as a side effect of the UK response to the pandemic.
Covid-19 deaths brought the total number of deaths in England and Wales to 22,351 during the week to April 17, 11,854 more than the five-year average and the highest recorded for 27 years when comparable records began.
The number of so-called “excess deaths” not attributed to Covid-19 was 3,096 in the week ending April 17, compared to 1,783 the week before. These deaths may be occurring due to reduced treatment of chronic diseases like cancer, so the NHS could accommodate more intensive care provision for patients with coronavirus, as well as sick people who do not want to go to the hospital.
