UK coronavirus deaths 35% higher than initially reported - ONS

England and Wales’ coronavirus related deaths are 35% higher than the daily figures for deaths in hospitals released by the government on 17 April.

The Office for National Statistics said it had recorded 21,284 fatalities related to the disease as of that date, compared with 13,917 in the daily hospital death stats published by the government.

In the week ending 17 April 2020, there was an increase of 3,835 deaths registered compared with the previous week and 11,854 more than the five-year average.

Of the deaths registered over that week, 8,758 or 39.2% of all deaths mentioned the virus.

In London, over half (55.5%) of deaths registered in that same week involved coronavirus and the North West and North East also had a high proportion of Covid-19-related deaths, accounting for 42.3% and 41.1% of the fatalities in those two regions, respectively.

Most deaths occurred in hospitals (77.4%) with the rest happening at care homes, private homes and hospices.