Two more coronavirus deaths at Shropshire care homes
Another two people have been confirmed to have died with coronavirus in care homes in Shropshire.
Figures released by the Office for National Statistics today show that 135 people have now died with coronavirus in care homes in the Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire boroughs.
The UK-wide death toll released by the Government, which includes deaths in and out of hospitals, increased by 171 to 42,927 today although analysis of official figures puts the true figure at more than 54,000.
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The latest ONS figures, which cover from June 13 to 19, show that one person died in a care home in each of the Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire Council areas.
It means that 92 people have now died in Shropshire care homes and another 43 in Telford & Wrekin.
The figures do not cover the whole of the period since the coronavirus outbreak began, with deaths only recorded between April 10 until June 19, meaning the actual figure is likely to be far higher.
In Powys the Office for National Statistics says that 91 people have now died with the virus.
In Shropshire 184 people have died at the county's hospitals, with no new deaths announced for the second day in a row.
So far 165 patients have died with Covid-19 at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, along with five at the orthopaedic hospital near Oswestry and 14 at Shropshire Community Health Trust.
Meanwhile under changes from July 4, indoor gatherings involving two separate households will be permitted – including the possibility of visiting reopened pubs and restaurants – but social distancing will need to be maintained.
The two-metre rule will be eased, replaced with a “one-metre plus” measure, with the protection offered by the physical distance enhanced by other mitigation measures such as the use of face coverings, increased hygiene or layout changes in premises.
Boris Johnson said the “national hibernation” is beginning to end, and “life is returning to our streets”.
