More coronavirus deaths in Shropshire care homes than hospitals for last week of April

Between April 25 and May 1 there were 19 deaths involving Covid-19 in the county's care homes – nine at homes in the Shropshire Council area and 10 at homes in Telford & Wrekin.

In the same period 17 people died in the county's hospitals after contracting the virus, including 14 at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, two at Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust and one at the Orthopaedic Hospital in Gobowen.

Meanwhile the new data from the Office for National Statistics shows that 55 people died with coronavirus in county care homes between April 10 and May 1.

Of the 55, 30 died in Shropshire care homes, and 25 in homes in Telford & Wrekin.

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The figures come amid increasing concern about how care homes are coping with coronavirus cases, with repeated calls for additional personal protection equipment.

The latest NHS figures show 108 people have died after testing positive for Covid-19 at the county's major health trusts since the pandemic began.

There have also been nine confirmed deaths in Powys.

Nationally, the UK has now passed Italy as the country with the most Covid-19 deaths in Europe although academics have warned that cross-country comparisons are “difficult”.

The official number of Covid-19 deaths in Italy stood at 29,079 as of 6pm on May 4, according to the Italian Ministry of Health.

According to Government figures provided on Tuesday, the UK total is now at 29,427 deaths in all settings.