Covid-19 deaths in UK care homes doubled in a week: Report

Covid-19 related deaths within the UK's care homes for the elderly and vulnerable doubled within just one week, according to data collected and analysed by a leading representative body for the not-for-profit adult social care sector.

The National Care Forum (NCF) report, released on Saturday, demonstrates 2,500 deaths within care homes within seven days, figures which it says highlights significant flaws in the current national reporting of coronavirus related death toll in the UK.

It is hoped that this analysis will provide insight and impetus for the government to better address the needs of the care sector, the NCF said.

The group's research came as pressure mounts on the British government to start counting deaths within the wider community and care homes to its daily hospital toll figures, which hit 15,464 on this week.

Amid concerns that the national statistics presented by the government for coronavirus related mortality rates were not incorporating figures of deaths within ...