DRAMATIC INCREASE IN NUMBERS AFTER NEW RECORDING CALCULATION PUSHES BRITAIN TOWARDS SUMMIT OF EUROPEAN FATALITY TABLE

TESTS for coronavirus will be rolled out to residents and staff in Atherstone and district care homes, regardless of whether they have symptoms, as the UK's real death toll heads towards the second worst in the world.

In a massive expansion of testing as the Government tries to hit its 100,000-tests-a day target, set for tomorrow, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has dramatically expanded the list of people who are eligible for coronavirus swabbing in England.

Older people over the age of 65 plus anyone in their households are also eligible, but only if they have symptoms.

In addition, anyone who needs to go out to work can get a test alongside the people they live with, as long as they have symptoms.

But the news over testing was overshadowed as a new calibration for recording fatalities saw the UK total shoot up dramatically to more than 26,000 deaths in hospitals, care homes and elsewhere in the UK.

Nub News warned earlier in the day it was coming.

A total of 26,097 people have died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community in the UK after contracting Covid-19, Public Health England said.

It includes 765 deaths reported in the 24 hours to 5pm on Tuesday.

It is the first time data on the number of deaths in care homes and the wider community has been included in the Government's daily updates.

The total reached by the new method of reporting is around 17 per cent higher than previous data showed and includes an additional 3,811 deaths recorded since the start of the outbreak.

Of these, around 70 per cent were outside hospital settings and around 30 per cent were in hospital.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told the daily Downing Street press conference: "From today, we are moving to an improved daily reporting system for deaths so that deaths in all settings are included wherever the individual has tested positive for Covid-19, rather than just those in hospitals.

"Those figures show that up to yesterday on the new measure we have recorded an additional 3,811 deaths in total, and I think it is just important to say that those additional deaths were spread over the period for March 2 to April 28 so they don't represent a sudden surge in the number of deaths."

The single day increase of 4,419 deaths – more than the new recorded cases of 4,076 – means the UK now lies in third place in the global death tally.

Its 26,097 total is behind Italy (27,682) and the US (60,495). More Americans have now died from coronavirus than were killed in the Vietnam War. Some 58,220 US servicemen lost their lives in the conflict, which raged for two decades from 1955 to 1975.

The world total is now 225,615 deaths with the US making up a third – 1,049,000 – of the 3.16 million recorded cases of the virus.

Italy's death rates are falling – only 323 in the last 24 hours – so the UK is set to go into second place in the league table no one wants to head in the next few days.

PHE medical director Dr Yvonne Doyle said the figure for deaths in UK care homes may be revised up further.

She said: "In due course, those deaths sadly may occur on death certificates, so we may expect more than we are seeing at the moment, yes."

Separate PHE data shows nearly a third of all care homes in England have reported suspected or confirmed coronavirus outbreaks.

Some 4,516 homes have reported outbreaks since March 17 up until Monday this week – around 29 per cent of the total care homes.

In every region in England more than a fifth of care homes had reported outbreaks.

Earlier, Mr Raab – standing in for Boris Johnson in Parliament following the birth of the Prime Minister's son – said there was a "joint horror" across the House at the number of people killed in the outbreak.

They included 85 NHS workers and 23 social care workers - a total of 108.

Mr Raab said 52,429 Covi-19 tests took place on Tuesday – just two days before the date the Government set for reaching 100,000 a day.

It brings the total number to 818,539 across the UK.

Testing tsar Professor John Newton said he was confident the target of performing 100,000 tests would be met on Thursday, as capacity was now at 73,400 tests per day.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "From construction workers to emergency plumbers, from research scientists to those in manufacturing, the expansion of access to testing will protect the most vulnerable and help keep people safe."

Some 43 drive-through centres are currently in place, Mr Hancock said, with dozens more going live this week.

Of the total number of UK test centres, 35 are located in England, four are in Scotland, three are in Northern Ireland and one is in Wales.

Booking-slots at the Welsh drive-through centre ran out almost immediately on Wednesday morning but were still available in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland as of 11am, having been released at 8am online.

The availability of home tests – which can be booked via the gov.uk website - is also expanding from 5,000 kits per day to 25,000 a day by the end of the week, Mr Hancock said.

The Army is currently running 17 mobile testing centres which are travelling around the country, but the plan is to increase this to 70 by the end of the week, he added.

Earlier this month, key workers and anyone in their household were able to access testing if they were showing symptoms.

Here is what people in Atherstone and district need to know about who is eligible for tests and where to access them.

The Government has said that the priority will still be to test patients, but in England essential workers with symptoms of coronavirus and the people who live with essential workers and have symptoms were able to get tested from last Friday.

From today, testing will be available to all frontline workers in health and social care, even if they are not displaying symptoms.

Testing will also be expanded to NHS patients and residents in care homes regardless of whether they have symptoms. Atherstone's Bracebridge Court, featured yesterday as it put on a "very happy face" after being showered with gifts from the community, will be able to take advantage of this.

All other essential workers, and the people they live with, can get tested if they have symptoms.

People aged over 65 and their households can get tested if they are showing symptoms, as well as anyone who goes into work because they cannot work from home and their households if they have symptoms.

Who are classed as essential workers?

The Government has published a list of essential workers which includes all NHS and social care staff from doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers and carers to support staff and supply chain workers.

Workers such as teachers, firefighters, local and national government staff, supermarket staff, police and delivery drivers are just some of the other roles included on the list.

How do I arrange a test?

Essential workers can book for a test at one of more than 40 regional drive-through sites or request a home test kit.

However, the Government has stressed these kit numbers will initially be limited but "more will become available".

Essential workers who are self-isolating can also be registered and referred for coronavirus testing by their employer.

Testing is most effective within three days of symptoms – a high temperature or new continuous cough - developing, Government guidelines state.

Where will the tests take place?

The Government said it is planning to open 50 drive-through testing sites by the end of April, with the aim that most people will not have to drive for more than 45 minutes to get to a regional testing site.

A delivery service for home testing kits has been designed with industry partners, including Royal Mail and Amazon.

Mr Hancock said the availability of home tests is expanding from 5,000 kits per day to 25,000 a day by the end of the week.

Packages of satellite test kits are being sent directly to care homes across England to enable testing of symptomatic residents.

What does the test involve?

The test involves taking a swab of the nose and the back of the throat, and can be done by the person themselves or by someone else.

What happens next?

Completed samples will be sent to a testing laboratory where they are analysed.

The Government said that it is aiming for tests from drive-through sites to be sent out by text within 48 hours and home testing kit results within 72 hours of collection.

People will be given advice on any next steps that need to be taken after receiving their results.

To book a test, click here

Footnote: Nub News followed the recommended steps and found it very straight-forward to apply.