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More than a fifth of all coronavirus-related deaths in England and Wales up to April 24 happened in care homes, new data reveal. 

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the deaths of 5,890 care home residents after they had contracted Covid-19 had been registered by April 24. 

It represents around 21% of the 27,356 coronavirus-related deaths registered up to that date so far this year. (Some 29,710 people had actually died as of April 24, taking into account registrations that took place into May.)

Around seven out of 10 deaths involving Covid-19 happened in hospital, the ONS said, with 19,643 hospital deaths registered.

Meanwhile, there were 1,306 deaths in private homes and 301 in hospices. 

The ONS data revealed there were 21,997 total deaths from all causes in the week ending April 24 – a drop of 354 deaths compared to the previous week. However, it is still 11,539 higher than the five-year average. 

Of all the deaths registered that week, “novel coronavirus” was mentioned on 8,237 death certificates, suggesting the virus was involved in 37.4% of all deaths. 

It represents a slight decrease from the week before, when Covid-19 was involved in 39.2% of all deaths. 

In London, more than half (50.5%) of all deaths registered in the week ending April 24 involved coronavirus. In the north-west and the north-east, this figure was 38.8% and 38% respectively.