The United Kingdom’s coronavirus death toll neared 52,000 on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally of official data sources that highlighted the country’s place as one of the worst hit in the world.
IT ALSO INCLUDES MORE RECENT HOSPITAL DEATHS
New data for England and Wales brought the toll to 51,766, the highest in Europe and putting the UK behind only the much larger United States in a pandemic that has killed more than 400,000 people around the world.
The Reuters tally comprises fatalities where coronavirus was mentioned on death certificates in England, Wales and Northern Ireland up to May 29, and up to May 31 in Scotland.
Unlike the lower death toll published daily by the government, the Reuters tally includes suspected cases – which gives a more accurate picture because testing was scarce early in the crisis.
Johnson’s government has said it is making real progress in driving down the number of deaths that take place each day.
The UK death toll for confirmed cases of coronavirus rose by 55 to 40,597 on Monday, the lowest rise since a lockdown was imposed in March.