Half of the deaths in Derby and Derbyshire care homes last week were linked to Covid-19.

There have, as of Friday, April 24, been nearly 100 Covid-19 related deaths in Derby and Derbyshire care homes.

The number of deaths relating to the virus in our care homes per week is increasing rapidly – against claims that the crisis in the UK has peaked.

While this may be true in hospitals, deaths related to Covid-19 in Derby and Derbyshire stood at 34 in the Week ending April 17 and nearly doubled the following week to 63 (ending April 24).

Of these deaths, five were in care homes run by Derbyshire County Council, it says, while there have been 10 positive cases of the virus among its residents – both as of April 24.

This is an increase from one death and five cases – which the authority reported six days before.

The authority will not name the care homes in which the deaths and cases occurred due to confidentiality and well-being reasons.

Derbyshire County Council's 23 care homes are all currently closed to visitors until further notice to prevent the spread of the virus.

Some Derbyshire care workers have raised concerns about a lack of personal protective equipment and others say the spectre of the potential future closure of seven homes is adding to an already high level of stress.

There have been claims that not all deaths of patients with Covid-19 in care homes are being reported as Covid-19 and instead are citing pneumonia or dementia, reports the New Statesman.

The number of positive cases is also said to be much higher than official figures would suggest due to a lack of community testing.

Over the period April 10 to April 24 38 per cent of all deaths in Derby and Derbyshire care homes (97 out of 250) were linked to Covid-19.

For the week ending April 10 this figure was 29 per cent and for the week ending April 24 this figure rose sharply to 47 per cent.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the UK breached 20,000 Covid-19 related deaths more than a week before government statistics showed as much.

This is because government statistics focus on hospitals and health workers – and omit care home and community deaths.

The ONS has revealed there have been 4,316 deaths involving Covid-19 in England and Wales up to April 17 outside hospitals – 3,096 of which were in care homes, double the 1,043 recorded in the week before.