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The number of people who have died across the
UK after contracting
Coronavirus has risen by 55 in 24 hours – the second day in a row with no reported deaths in
Scotland or Northern
Ireland.
Since the end of April, the government’s daily announcement has included people in care homes and the community, rather than just in hospital, who have died.
But only those who had tested positive for Covid-19 are included, meaning anyone who died with a suspected case won’t be recorded.
The figures cover the period up to 5pm on Sunday.It comes after NHS
England reported that 59 hospital patients had died in England and Public Health Wales reported that three hospital patients and care home residents had died in Wales. These data are likely to be more up to date and, in Wales’ case, cover a slightly different 24-hour window, which goes some way to explaining the discrepancy. Here’s a quick primer on what all the different numbers mean and how to understand them.
Meanwhile, in the 24 hours up to 9am on Monday, 138,183 people were tested for coronavirus, with 1,205 coming back positive.
Today’s figure, 55, is the lowest total UK deaths since March 22, when 35 were reported. Sunday marked the first day since March 23 that the official government total dropped below 100: it was 77. But weekend days typically see lower numbers due to delays in data recording and reductions in staff, with some people’s deaths instead being subsequently added to future days.
Of the people whose deaths were recorded in England, 10 died on Sunday, with nearly half – 27 – taking place on Saturday. The rest go back as far as May 6.