Recently, there is a lot of controversy regarding various aspects of the current COVID-19 pandemic including the number of reported deaths and cases around the world. A new source has also uncovered that the original death toll in the United Kingdom is not being revealed to the public.
According to the latest statistics on the death rates in the country, there were over thirteen thousand deaths in the UK and Wales as of April ten. However, the number of deaths that were announced was around nine thousand and three hundred.
An explanation could be that this difference occurs due to the deaths that took place and were reported directly from the hospitals and the deaths occurring at other places including care homes, small health facilities, and private homes.
Statistically, eighty-three percent of the deaths or eight thousand, six hundred and seventy-three deaths happened at different hospitals.
On the other hand, eighteen percent of the deaths one thousand, six hundred and sixty-two deaths were reported from other places.
Out of the deaths recorded in places others than hospitals, one thousand and forty-three occurred in care homes, forty-hundred and sixty-six in private homes, eighty-seven were reported in hospices, twenty-one took place at similar communal facilities, and forty-five were reported from other places.
The sources on deaths that took place outside of hospitals reportedly tell that the death toll in care homes nearly doubled after the first few deaths in the UK due to COVID-19 were recorded.
RELATED: Air Pollution May Worsen COVID-19 Pandemic
Prior to the spread of the coronavirus infection, two thousand and five hundred people in care homes passed away because of a range of causes. This figure increased by one hundred percent as the number of coronavirus cases went up.
Before the week of April ten, the were numerous deaths occurring at different care homes across the UK. Therefore, the actual number of deaths outside of the hospitals, and specifically in care homes could be much bigger than the announced estimate.
Last week, Care England had also raised similar concerns by accentuating that the number of deaths taking place at care homes could alone be seven thousand and five hundred which is much higher than the known figures.
The Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, commented on the issue of the spread of coronavirus infection in care homes, saying “Today’s sad and shocking figures highlight just what a severe challenge we face in care homes and other community settings.”
He added that “Council social care staff and care homes need urgent access to reliable and ongoing supplies of quality PPE, increased rapid and comprehensive testing and greater support with staffing and other equipment, on an equal footing with the NHS.”
The death rates, in total, have broken the record of the previous twenty-year record of the country. Even the figures that do not include all the deaths occurring at care homes were higher than usual by ten thousand.
With such rising concerns about the very high death toll of COVID-19, health authorities have urged people to continue taking the official guidelines on the prevention of the coronavirus infection.
According to the World Health Organization, practicing social distance, avoiding public spaces unless it is necessary, washing hands frequently, maintaining personal hygiene as well as health, having a good diet, and wearing a mask when heading outdoors are the instructions to keep in mind during the time period of the coronavirus pandemic.
Whether the pandemic has reached its peak or when will it do so is not known by health experts yet. Till the infection is controlled, it is recommended that people stay at home and practice the aforementioned instructions.
