It follows similar high increases of 847 yesterday and 861 on Thursday (Pictures: PA/Reuters/AP)

Another 888 people have died after contracting coronavirus, taking the UK death toll to at least 15,464, the Department of Health (DoH) has confirmed.

Today’s jump in deaths is another huge daily rise, following an increase of 847 yesterday and 861 on Thursday.

The figures were updated after England recorded another 784 deaths. Scotland reported 56 deaths, while 28 were recorded in Wales and 17 in Northern Ireland.

The combined figure from the four nations comes to 885, which is slightly lower than the number – 888 – later released by the DoH this afternoon.


Another 888 people have died in the UK after contracting coronavirus

There is also a difference in the DoH’s death toll – 15,464 – and the combined figure from England (13,918), Scotland (893), Wales (534), and Northern Ireland (193), which is 74 higher at 15,538.



The government has said this difference is because each devolved authority often makes amendments to their own data after reporting deaths to the DoH each day.

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It is important to note that all of these deaths occurred in hospitals across the UK.

They do not take into account the people dying at home, in care facilities, hospices, or other locations outside of hospitals.

NHS staff carry out coronavirus tests at a testing facility in Bracebridge Heath, Lincoln (Picture: PA)

The new figures were released as Care England, the industry body representing independent care homes, claimed up to 7,500 people may have died after contracting the respiratory disease in care homes.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) recorded 217 care home deaths from Covid-19 up to April 3. But Care England says it has data suggesting the true number is much higher.

Medical staff at the NHS Nightingale Hospital at the Excel Centre in London (Picture: Reuters)

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has promised data on residents who pass away with the virus will be available ‘very shortly’.

The pledge follows calls for care home deaths to be included in the daily tally from experts who fear they are ‘going under the radar’.

They are not currently listed each day and there is a lag in reporting figures due to the fact the process relies on death certificates which must be registered and processed.

Why are there different death tolls each day? There has been some confusion around the reporting of death tolls. This is because there are various public bodies all reporting figures according to different criteria each day. The Department of Health (DoH) said the UK coronavirus death toll had reached 12,107 today (April 14) after another 778 patients in hospitals died. But this was 35 lower than the combined figure of 813 from England (744), Scotland (40), Wales (19), and Northern Ireland (10). To add to the confusion, if you added together the self-reported total deaths from England (11,005), Scotland (615), Wales (403), and Northern Ireland (134), you get a higher figure of 12,157. It is important to note that all of these deaths occurred in hospitals across the UK. They do not take into account the people dying at home, in care facilities, hospices, or other locations outside of hospitals. Deaths outside hospitals are now being recorded weekly by the Office for National statistics (ONS). The latest figures from the ONS suggested the true coronavirus death toll could be 8% higher. The government has said this difference is because each devolved authority often makes amendments to their data after releasing death figures to the DoH each day.

Seventeen residents and one staff member have died at a care home in Essex.

Bosses at Tye Green Lodge in Harlow said six died in hospital, but a lack of testing outside of those settings meant it was unclear if any others had the virus.

Quantum Care, the company that operates the home, expressed its ‘deep sadness’ at ‘this exceptionally difficult time’.

In a statement, they said the home has adequate numbers of staff and a ‘full stock of PPE’, but called on the government to deliver on its commitment to ramp up testing in care homes.

Elsewhere, it emerged that six prisoners had accidentally been freed early as part of a scheme designed to ease the burden on jails during the pandemic.

Up to 4,000 ‘low-risk’ prisoners in England and Wales have been temporarily released in an effort to manage the spread of the virus behind bars.



But the Prison Service said it is aware of a ‘small number’ who have been let out too early.

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