Coronavirus in the UK: Record total deaths implies worse damage from virus

The UK recorded 18,516 losses of life in the week ending on Friday, April 10, highest on record, exceeding also months that saw many flu deaths such as in 2010. Early April usually sees around 10,000 mortalities per week. The gap is not fully explained by confirmed COVID-19 deaths and imply a higher human toll.

Some have probably died of the coronavirus but were not tested, while others may have had other conditions but did not go to receive treatment in a hospital. 

Over the four-weeks leading to April 10, the number of deaths in care homes rose by over 99% while hospital mortalities rose by over 70%. 

Many countries are struggling to account for mortalities suspected to be related to the respiratory disease but have not been confirmed. The lack of wide and quick testing is complicating the task.