More than 7,000 care home residents are now feared to have died from coronavirus, according to new data.
Care England, the country’s largest representative body for care homes, said the number of residents dying from the illness far surpassed government estimates.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) earlier this week showed only 237 care home coronavirus deaths had been recorded in England and Wales up to April 3.
The Daily Mail revealed on Wednesday that care home providers suspected at least 4,000 care home residents had died from Covid-19.
But Professor Martin Green, the chief executive of Care England, said yesterday the figure had likely now reached 7,500.
More than 7,000 care home residents are now feared to have died from coronavirus, according to new data. Pictured: Medics outside Berelands Care Home, Prestwick, where 20 of its residents died due to suspected coronavirus
Speaking to the Telegraph, Professor Green said: ‘Without testing it is very difficult to give an absolute figure.
‘However, if we look at some of the death rates since April 1 and compare them with previous years’ rates, we estimate a figure of about 7, 500 people may have died as a result of Covid-19.’
The latest figures come after a total of 20 residents at a single care home in Scotland were reported to have died due to suspected coronavirus.
The Berelands Care Home, in Prestwick, Ayrshire, saw four of those deaths take place in the past 24 hours.
It comes after Health Secretary Matt Hancock (pictured) told a select committee yesterday he was ‘absolutely sure’ the number and proportion of deaths was larger than reported
A spokesman for Berelands Care Home said: ‘We are deeply saddened to confirm that four more residents have died from what we believe to be Covid-19.
‘Three of our residents passed away yesterday, and one this morning.
‘This is profoundly upsetting, and our deepest sympathies are with their families and friends.
‘We are entirely focused on caring for, and protecting, all our residents and are extremely grateful to our dedicated staff who are doing their absolute best at this extraordinarily difficult time.
‘We are closely monitoring the health of residents and staff, and supporting the families of those who have died, while continuing to follow all official guidance.’
It comes after Health Secretary Matt Hancock told a select committee yesterday he was ‘absolutely sure’ the number and proportion of deaths was larger than reported.
He promised data on residents who die with the illness will be available ‘very shortly’.
The pledge comes after experts called for care home deaths to be included in the daily tally amid fears they are going ‘under the radar’.
They currently are not listed every day and there have been lags in reported figures for several weeks because the process relies on death certificates, which must be registered and processed.
Earlier this week, the head of Public Health England, Professor Yvonne Doyle, said agencies were working towards producing ‘much more rapid data, preferably on a daily basis’.
Last night, health watchdog the Care Quality Commission also said there were 3,084 care homes with coronavirus outbreaks in England, up to and including April 15.
In a poll of 2,800 care home owners, managers and staff, 28 per cent said they were looking after residents who had tested positive for the disease.
More than 40 per cent said they had seen suspected outbreaks of Covid-19.
And despite a government pledge and significant pressure from the Daily Mail, 80 per cent of carers in the carehome.co.uk and ITV news poll said staff had not been tested at all.
A spokesman for Berelands Care Home said: ‘We are deeply saddened to confirm that four more residents have died from what we believe to be Covid-19’
It comes as more than 40 per cent of nursing homes may have cases of coronavirus , a nationwide poll of thousands of carers suggests. (A visitors’ notice stating cases of COVID-19 within Coplands Nursing Home in Wembley, northwest London)
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) began collecting data on deaths linked to Covid-19 which occurred in both hospitals and care homes on Thursday, Mr Hancock said.
He told the Health and Social Care Committee on Friday: ‘I’m concerned about this as well; I asked CQC to make sure that we record the data in care homes specifically, of those who are residents of care homes, whether they die in hospital or in the care home, and they started collecting that data yesterday and it will be published very shortly.’
Mr Hancock did not specify precisely when, or how often, this data will be published.
A Government spokesman said ‘every death from this virus is a tragedy’, and said people were ‘working around the clock to give the social care sector the equipment and support they need’.
The Department of Health statement added: ‘As a Government, we have a duty to report verified information.
‘It is important that we have the best possible reliable data to know how many deaths there are, wherever they occur.
‘In an important step forward, ONS are now providing a breakdown of deaths by place of occurrence.
‘We are currently working with CQC and other organisations to understand how to best to provide up to date information about deaths in care homes and elsewhere.’
It provides the biggest snapshot yet of the impact of COVID-19 on the sector and suggests the care home crisis is deeper than the Government is willing to admit.
Almost all (94 per cent) of those asked felt that the government should be doing more to test clients and staff in care homes.
Access to personal protective equipment, or PPE , was also of concern to respondents.
Half said they had not received sufficient quantities of PPE, whilst 59 per cent felt the PPE they received was not safe or did not offer the necessary levels of protection.
Eighty-three per cent of carers said they were worried about transmitting COVID-19 to their family after working in the homes.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock’s view of the care home situation has been in stark contrast to what care providers have said.
Mr Hancock said on Thursday that 15 per cent of care homes had two or more cases of the virus – one in seven.
He appeared to deny claims made by the care home executives that up to two thirds of all care homes have outbreaks when asked about the validity of claims on Good Morning Britain.
He described the 15 per cent figure as ‘robust’ and said Number 10 has ‘high confidence’ in it.
Meanwhile, in Scotland, a quarter of all coronavirus deaths in Scotland have been in care homes, according to official data.
The National Records of Scotland showed 962 people diagnosed with, or suspected of having, COVID-19 had died.
Of those, 237 (24.6 per cent) were in care homes, 586 in hospitals, 128 in homes and one in an undisclosed location.
The figure was five times higher than the 5 per cent number given by the Office for National Statistics, which collates data in England and Wales.