A FURTHER nine patients have sadly died at Warrington Hospital after testing positive for Covid-19 while new figures revealing deaths in care homes takes the town’s death toll to at least 116.
The death toll at Warrington Hospital now numbers 79 while there have been 575 confirmed cases, including 17 new cases.
Together with figures published by the Office for National Statistics and Care Quality Commission today, the data between April 10-24, reveals 32 residents died in Warrington care homes. Prior to that there were at least five known deaths in care homes, taking the town’s death toll to at least 116.
Mike Padgham, chairman of the Independent Care Group (ICG), said those in care and nursing homes who have died “deserve better”.
He said: “Due to the lag in collating these figures, we do fear that the true number of people who have died in care and nursing homes since the start of coronavirus may be higher than these figures suggest. It may well be that they are increasing whilst hospital deaths are falling.
“We hope not, but it might be that the numbers will actually be higher.
“Social care providers are now on the true front line in the fight against Covid-19 and we need more support.”
Across the country there were 586 deaths of patients in hospitals who have tested positive for COVID-19, taking the national total to 21,678.
The daily number of lab-confirmed UK cases was 3,996 taking the number of lab-confirmed UK cases to 161,145.
Meanwhile over 65s and those who need to leave their homes for work will be able to get tested for COVID-19 as the gvernment expands the number of people eligible to meet a target of reaching 100,000 tests per day by Friday.
From tomorrow (Wednesday) and those who have to leave home for work, who have coronavirus symptoms, will be able to get tested, along with those in the same household.
The new measures were announced by health secretary Matt Hancock at the government’s daily briefing.
He also announced the expansion of coronavirus testing to all those working on the frontline in the NHS and social care, as well as NHS patients and care home residents, whether or not they have symptoms.
Previously, aside from some piolt schemes, only those who were displaying symptoms in these groups were being tested.
mr Hancock also announced, in an bid to “bring as much transparency as possible” the UK death figures, from tomorrow, will also include deaths in care homes and the community.
The Care Quality Commission has already revealed that there have been 4,343 coronavirus related deaths in care homes inthe two weeks to April 24.
