THE number of people dying with coronavirus in care homes has now surpassed the number in hospitals.

Figures released by the Office of National Statistics reveal that twice as many Covid-19 deaths happened in Brighton and Hove care homes in the week leading up to May 1 than in hospitals.

In that week, four people died in hospital, eight in care homes and two in hospices.

The most recent data available shows nearly a third of all care homes in Brighton and Hove have had an outbreak. At least 26 homes in the city have been affected.

Nearly 200 across Sussex have had an outbreak, with some authorities tackling the disease in more than half their care homes.

Hove MP Peter Kyle said: “I think this is one of the horrific consequences of having one, and only one, priority as the coronavirus pandemic reached our shores, and that was putting hospitals above everything.

The Argus:

“Everything else was secondary, including care homes, despite us knowing that up to a third of all deaths on the continent were occurring in residential care.

“No matter how hard many of us screamed, the Government wouldn’t take its eyes off hospitals for even a nano-second.”

Between the beginning of the outbreak and May 1, 34 people died with coronavirus in Brighton and Hove care homes. The figure in hospitals was 59. Total deaths in care homes, which include those without coronavirus on the death certificate, have more than quadrupled since the outbreak.

Mr Kyle said: “People have to understand and accept that there was nothing inevitable about the widespread loss of life in social care.”

Boris Johnson has announced a £600 million package for coronavirus infection control in care homes as he admitted the number of deaths among residents has been “too high”.

The Prime Minister insisted outbreaks and fatalities in care homes were now “well down”, as he sought to defend his handling of the crisis.

Figures suggest care home deaths accounted for some 40 per cent of coronavirus-related fatalities registered in England and Wales in the week ending May 1.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused the Government of being “too slow to protect people in care homes” and referred to official advice in place until March 12 which said it remained “very unlikely” people in care homes would become infected.

Mr Johnson, responding during PMQs in the Commons, replied: “No, it wasn’t true that the advice said that, and actually we brought the lockdown in care homes ahead of the general lockdown.”

  • The coronavirus Sussex Crisis Fund has been set up to help those affected by the pandemic. The Argus’s charity and American Express have each donated £50,000 to kick-start the appeal. Grants will usually be for up to £5,000. More information is available at www.sussexgiving. org.uk/apply. To donate visit www.totalgiving.co.uk/appeal/sussexcrisisfund