Coronavirus UK: Death toll hits 21,731 but could be 55% higher

From tomorrow the Government will count care home deaths and others that happen outside of hospitals in its daily coronavirus updates, Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced today. ONS data, which is released each week and offers the only true picture on how many people have died outside of hospitals, recorded 3,096 COVID-19 care home deaths by April 17. The Office for National Statistics report also revealed: The number of people dying in care homes of all causes has tripled since March - 7,316 deaths were recorded between April 11 and 17, compared to 2,471 between March 7 and 13; New records compiled by England's regulator - the Care Quality Commission - showed 4,343 people died in care homes with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 between April 10 and April 24; Three of the 10 deadliest weeks since 1993 have happened in the past month, each recording significantly more than the average 10,000 deaths for this time of year; More than 6,500 people have died with the coronavirus outside of hospitals in England and Wales and one person is dying of coronavirus every 69 seconds; County Durham has had more COVID-19 care home deaths than any other area in England, with 84, followed by Sheffield and Birmingham ; Men aged between 75 and 84 are most at risk of dying from the coronavirus, while women are more likely to die over the age of 85; The North West of England is the worst-hit region outside of London when all victims are taken into account, followed by the South East. The number of people dying with the coronavirus in England and Wales is around 55 per cent higher when non-hospital deaths are included, according to the Office for National Statistics Office for National Statistics shows a difference of 53 per cent between the daily death counts and the backdated information it releases once a week Mr Hancock said at this afternoon's public briefing: 'From tomorrow we will be publishing not just the number of deaths in hospital each day, but the number of deaths in care homes and the community too.' In other developments to the coronavirus crisis today: More than two-third of Britons believe the lockdown should not be eased until coronavirus has been 'fully contained', according to a poll; Health chiefs insisted they are 'unaware' of any deaths in children from a serious 'inflammatory syndrome' thought to be linked to the coronavirus - despite Matt Hancock admitting that 'some' youngsters have mysteriously died with no underlying conditions; Nicola Sturgeon broke ranks with Boris Johnson again by declaring that Scots should wear face coverings on public transport and in shops; The Prime Minister was so badly affected by coronavirus because he is 'significantly' overweight, an NHS doctor revealed; A BBC documentary last night claimed ministers counted every glove individually instead of in pairs to boast of delivering one billion bits of PPE to NHS staff frontline in their fight against the coronavirus; Nandos and Burger King both announced plans to reopen restaurants in more signs of Britain easing itself out of lockdown as traffic jams return to the roads despite the ongoing coronavirus lockdown; Michael Gove revealed more than 3,200 fines have been issued to people flouting the coronavirus lockdown rules as he said that number is expected to 'increase considerably'; Pubs could reopen if landlords rationed beer to two or three pints per customer then asked them to go home to help with social distancing measures, it was claimed; Dragons' Den star Peter Jones became the latest multi-millionaire businessman to take advantage of taxpayers cash through the Government retention scheme.