Coronavirus contributed to almost 70 per cent of newly reported deaths in care homes.

New statistics gathered by the Care Quality Commission show that 20 residents have died in the last reported week, April 25 to May 1, after contracting covid-19.

The total number of deaths, from all causes, in the same period is 29.

Last week, The Bolton News reported on the extent of the coronavirus crisis in Bolton care homes, revealing that 36 residents at local homes died with the virus between April 10 and 24.

Almost three in every five deaths in care homes across the borough have been linked to covid-19, with coronavirus contributing to 56 of the 98 deaths since April 10.

In England, coronavirus was involved in 2,044 deaths in care homes across the country.

Notifications about deaths in homes have to be sent to the CQC within a few days and the statistics, the first to establish the number of deaths among residents in care establishments, have been published by the Office for National Statistics using the collected data.

However, the ONS also warns that the number of deaths due to Covid-19 may be even higher than those published due to delays in reporting.