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| UK coronavirus live: ONS to investigate why 8,000 weekly 'excess' death toll even higher than Covid-19 figures imply | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| MPs expected to approve plans for ‘virtual’ sittings of the Commons as questions continue over PPE provision | MPs expected to approve plans for ‘virtual’ sittings of the Commons as questions continue over PPE provision |
| Here is our news story on the ONS figures from Robert Booth and Pamela Duncan. | |
| And this is how it starts. | |
| Nick Stripe, the health analysis and life events division at the ONS, gave a sobering interview to the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire a few minutes ago about the latest mortality figures. (“Life events” presumably include dying.) Here are the key points. | |
| Stripe said that the ONS death figures released this morning for England and Wales for the week ending 10 April were almost certainly an understatement. He said 10 April, was Good Friday, and only around a third of registration offices were open. He went on: | |
| He said the ONS figures that were published showed around 8,000 “excess deaths” in the week ending 10 April. That meant deaths above the five-year average. Of those, only 80% were directly related to coronavirus, he said. | |
| He said the ONS was carrying out a research project to establish what was responsible for the other 20% of excess deaths. They might be related to coronavirus, he said, or they might be related to people not going to hospital. He said fully establishing the reasons for these excess deaths might take months or even years. | |
| He said that the the ONS’s figures for the Friday up to 10 April were 40% higher than the numbers that were officially announced by the government for coronavirus deaths the following day. And the ONS figures were about 20% higher than the latest figures for NHS England (which is now publishing figures showing how many people are known to have died from coronavirus in hospital on any particular day). | |
| He said only around 80% of coronavirus deaths were in a hospital. In the previous week that figure was 90%, he said. He said 13% of coronavirus deaths were in a care home, and 5% were in a private home. In the previous week there were 217 coronavirus deaths in care homes. In the week up to 10 April there were just over 1,000. | |
| He said the number of deaths in care homes, from all causes, was double in the week up to 10 April what it was two weeks previously. | |
| He said that around one in three of the death in the week ending 10 April involved coronavirus. In the previous week only around one in five deaths involved coronavirus. | |
| John Lewis sales have plunged after it was forced to shut stores in face of coronavirus despite a surge in online orders. | |
| The John Lewis Partnership group also said sales at its Waitrose supermarket chain saw surged as shoppers stocked up on essentials. | |
| However, department stores sales tumbled 17% in the weeks since 15 March, after it closed all its sites on 23 March. The high street retailer warned that a worst-case scenario would be annual sales plunging 35%. | |
| Nevertheless, John Lewis said online sales had jumped 84% as shoppers purchased more technology and food preparation products. | |
| The retailer said demand had particularly risen in some of its “less profitable lines”, with people “buying more Scrabble but fewer sofas”. | |
| Elsewhere, Waitrose sales increased by 8% in the period since 26 January as supermarkets were buoyed by the crisis. Sales increased both in store and online as shoppers bought more essentials like rice, pasta and long-life milk. | |
| The ONS has also published a paper looking at how its death figures compare with the ones published by the government for coronavirus deaths in hospitals. | The ONS has also published a paper looking at how its death figures compare with the ones published by the government for coronavirus deaths in hospitals. |
| The ONS says from 28 April it will be publishing a new set of data covering coronavirus deaths in care homes. | The ONS says from 28 April it will be publishing a new set of data covering coronavirus deaths in care homes. |
| This is from Jonathan Portes, an economics professor, on the ONS figures. | This is from Jonathan Portes, an economics professor, on the ONS figures. |
| Here are three of the most revealing charts from today’s ONS report. | Here are three of the most revealing charts from today’s ONS report. |
| This chart from the ONS report shows how the weekly death rate in England and Wales is now soaring above the long-term average. | This chart from the ONS report shows how the weekly death rate in England and Wales is now soaring above the long-term average. |
| This chart shows deaths by region. | This chart shows deaths by region. |
| And this chart, showing coronavirus deaths by gender, shows that the men are more likely to die from the virus than women. | And this chart, showing coronavirus deaths by gender, shows that the men are more likely to die from the virus than women. |
| Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s temporary release from an Iranian jail has been extended for one month, her MP has said. | Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s temporary release from an Iranian jail has been extended for one month, her MP has said. |
| Tulip Siddiq tweeted on Tuesday morning: “Very happy to hear from Richard Ratcliffe that Nazanin’s furlough has been extended for a month - in line with other prisoners in Iran. | Tulip Siddiq tweeted on Tuesday morning: “Very happy to hear from Richard Ratcliffe that Nazanin’s furlough has been extended for a month - in line with other prisoners in Iran. |
| “Now is the time for our government to do all it can to make it permanent.” | “Now is the time for our government to do all it can to make it permanent.” |
| The Office for National Statistics has just published its latest weekly death figures for England and Wales. They cover the week ending 10 April. | The Office for National Statistics has just published its latest weekly death figures for England and Wales. They cover the week ending 10 April. |
| Here are the main points. | Here are the main points. |
| There were 18,516 deaths registered in England and Wales in the week to 10 April, based on the provisional figures. That is 2,129 more than the previous week, and 7,996 more than the five-year average. | There were 18,516 deaths registered in England and Wales in the week to 10 April, based on the provisional figures. That is 2,129 more than the previous week, and 7,996 more than the five-year average. |
| Coronavirus was a factor in 33.6% of all deaths that week, up from 21.2% in the previous week. | Coronavirus was a factor in 33.6% of all deaths that week, up from 21.2% in the previous week. |
| Some 83.9% of the deaths involving coronavirus that week took place in hospitals, with the rest occurring in care homes, private homes and hospices. | Some 83.9% of the deaths involving coronavirus that week took place in hospitals, with the rest occurring in care homes, private homes and hospices. |
| The number of deaths in care homes in that week was double what it was just four weeks before. | The number of deaths in care homes in that week was double what it was just four weeks before. |
| The 83.9% figure is significant. It means that more than 15% of coronavirus deaths in England and Wales are taking place outside hospital (or at least were in the week these figures cover). That seems higher than some people assumed. Yesterday Prof Yvonne Doyle, the medical director for Public Health England, said at the government’s daily press conference that 90% of coronavirus deaths were in hospital. | The 83.9% figure is significant. It means that more than 15% of coronavirus deaths in England and Wales are taking place outside hospital (or at least were in the week these figures cover). That seems higher than some people assumed. Yesterday Prof Yvonne Doyle, the medical director for Public Health England, said at the government’s daily press conference that 90% of coronavirus deaths were in hospital. |
| We’ll post more from the ONS report shortly. | We’ll post more from the ONS report shortly. |
| Yesterday there was a rehearsal in the Commons for the new “hybrid” procedures, that will see a few MPs asking questions in the chamber, but most of them taking party virtually, via video conferencing. Here are some pictures showing how it worked. | Yesterday there was a rehearsal in the Commons for the new “hybrid” procedures, that will see a few MPs asking questions in the chamber, but most of them taking party virtually, via video conferencing. Here are some pictures showing how it worked. |
| Britain only made a formal request to Turkey over a consignment of personal protective equipment on Sunday, Turkish sources have told Sky News. | Britain only made a formal request to Turkey over a consignment of personal protective equipment on Sunday, Turkish sources have told Sky News. |
| This is the day after Robert Jenrick, the housing secretary, said at the daily Downing Street press briefing on Saturday that 84 tonnes of the gear was already heading to the UK. | This is the day after Robert Jenrick, the housing secretary, said at the daily Downing Street press briefing on Saturday that 84 tonnes of the gear was already heading to the UK. |
| This included 400,000 urgently needed clinical gowns, which he said would arrive in the UK from Turkey the following day. It failed to materialise, but no explanation for the delay was given. | This included 400,000 urgently needed clinical gowns, which he said would arrive in the UK from Turkey the following day. It failed to materialise, but no explanation for the delay was given. |
| Two sources have told Sky News that no formal request was made to the Turkish authorities - who were not supplying the shipment, but whose help was sought to get it to the UK - until Sunday. | Two sources have told Sky News that no formal request was made to the Turkish authorities - who were not supplying the shipment, but whose help was sought to get it to the UK - until Sunday. |
| Good morning. I’m Andrew Sparrow, joining the blog. | Good morning. I’m Andrew Sparrow, joining the blog. |
| Here are the main events on the agenda for the day. | Here are the main events on the agenda for the day. |
| 9.30am: The Office for National Statistics publishes the latest weekly death figures. | 9.30am: The Office for National Statistics publishes the latest weekly death figures. |
| 9.30am: The Commons home affairs committee takes evidence on coronavirus and immigration. | 9.30am: The Commons home affairs committee takes evidence on coronavirus and immigration. |
| 12pm: Downing Street lobby briefing. | 12pm: Downing Street lobby briefing. |
| 12.30pm: The Scottish and Welsh governments hold daily briefings. | 12.30pm: The Scottish and Welsh governments hold daily briefings. |
| 2.30pm: MPs return to the Commons. They will debate and vote on a motion on hybrid scrutiny proceedings (ie, allowing most questions to ministers to take place virtually), and then there will be a business statement. | 2.30pm: MPs return to the Commons. They will debate and vote on a motion on hybrid scrutiny proceedings (ie, allowing most questions to ministers to take place virtually), and then there will be a business statement. |
| 2.30pm: The Commons foreign affairs committee takes evidence from Sir Simon McDonald, the Foreign Office permanent secretary. | 2.30pm: The Commons foreign affairs committee takes evidence from Sir Simon McDonald, the Foreign Office permanent secretary. |
| Afternoon: The latest UK coronavirus hospital death figures are released. | Afternoon: The latest UK coronavirus hospital death figures are released. |
| 2.30pm: The Commons justice committee takes evidence from the chief inspector of prisons, Peter Clarke. | 2.30pm: The Commons justice committee takes evidence from the chief inspector of prisons, Peter Clarke. |
| 5pm: The government is due to hold its daily press conference. | 5pm: The government is due to hold its daily press conference. |
| An NHS nurse has recovered from coronavirus despite recently having a kidney transplant. | An NHS nurse has recovered from coronavirus despite recently having a kidney transplant. |
| Charlene Nelson managed to fight off the disease after spending just one week in hospital. | Charlene Nelson managed to fight off the disease after spending just one week in hospital. |
| The mother-of-one, who works as a nurse at Sandwell Hospital in the West Midlands, started suffering from a shortness of breath on April 12. Nelson underwent a kidney transplant in 2015 and said she was “very scared” after contracting Covid-19. | The mother-of-one, who works as a nurse at Sandwell Hospital in the West Midlands, started suffering from a shortness of breath on April 12. Nelson underwent a kidney transplant in 2015 and said she was “very scared” after contracting Covid-19. |
| The 37-year-old said: “I just couldn’t breathe. I called for an ambulance and it all felt like a big blur. | The 37-year-old said: “I just couldn’t breathe. I called for an ambulance and it all felt like a big blur. |
| “I got into A&E and then I was put into isolation because of my symptoms. I was treated with antibiotics and tested for coronavirus. | “I got into A&E and then I was put into isolation because of my symptoms. I was treated with antibiotics and tested for coronavirus. |
| “Because of my kidney condition, I was transferred to another hospital for further treatment. | “Because of my kidney condition, I was transferred to another hospital for further treatment. |
| “My results for Covid-19 came back positive. I was in a bad way for the first two days and I was very scared. | “My results for Covid-19 came back positive. I was in a bad way for the first two days and I was very scared. |
| “But I soon started responding to the treatment and began improving.” | “But I soon started responding to the treatment and began improving.” |
| Nelson continued: “I think there may be people out there who think they don’t need to go to hospital or believe that their situation will worsen if they do go. However, my condition definitely improved. | Nelson continued: “I think there may be people out there who think they don’t need to go to hospital or believe that their situation will worsen if they do go. However, my condition definitely improved. |
| A consignment of personal protective equipment being collected by the RAF from Turkey will be in the UK “in the next few days”, local government minister Simon Clarke has said. | A consignment of personal protective equipment being collected by the RAF from Turkey will be in the UK “in the next few days”, local government minister Simon Clarke has said. |
| Asked whether it had left Turkey yet, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: | Asked whether it had left Turkey yet, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: |
| Clarke said there is a “standing presumption” that the government will do its utmost to buy PPE “wherever it can be sourced” and urged manufacturers to “reach out” to the Cabinet Office to log their ability to make equipment. | Clarke said there is a “standing presumption” that the government will do its utmost to buy PPE “wherever it can be sourced” and urged manufacturers to “reach out” to the Cabinet Office to log their ability to make equipment. |
| On testing, he said the government is working to ensure more key workers are eligible to have the tests so “every possible slot is filled” but admitted it is an “enormous challenge”. | On testing, he said the government is working to ensure more key workers are eligible to have the tests so “every possible slot is filled” but admitted it is an “enormous challenge”. |
| “We are doing our very best to make sure that we hit that target.” | “We are doing our very best to make sure that we hit that target.” |
| The Lord Speaker, Lord Fowler, said he would chair the upper chamber from home, and all proceedings would be digital by Thursday. He said the House of Lords Commission would consider on Monday whether peers would be able to claim their daily attendance allowance for the virtual proceedings. Lord Fowler said peers’ membership of select committees would have to be considered, but it was a “pretty strong argument” that members would not have to leave their homes to contribute to proceedings in the chamber. | The Lord Speaker, Lord Fowler, said he would chair the upper chamber from home, and all proceedings would be digital by Thursday. He said the House of Lords Commission would consider on Monday whether peers would be able to claim their daily attendance allowance for the virtual proceedings. Lord Fowler said peers’ membership of select committees would have to be considered, but it was a “pretty strong argument” that members would not have to leave their homes to contribute to proceedings in the chamber. |