LONDON (AP) — The U.K. has the third-highest coronavirus death toll in the world after the British government published new figures Wednesday that include deaths outside of hospitals.
After factoring in deaths in all settings such as care homes, the number of people in Britain who have died after testing positive for the virus has now hit 26,097, way ahead of the 21,678 announced on Tuesday. Until now, hospital deaths have been reported daily, while deaths in nursing homes and other settings were reported separately on a weekly basis.
Under the new measurement, the U.K. has leapfrogged Spain and France in Europe, with only Italy ahead. The U.S. has the world’s highest death toll.
It is becoming increasingly clear that the U.K. could end up with the second-highest coronavirus death toll in the world, partly because Italy is considered to be around a couple of weeks ahead in the epidemic.
Earlier this week on his return to work after recovering from COVID-19, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, said the country was at “the moment of maximum risk.” Johnson, age 55, was out of pocket earlier Wednesday because his partner, Carrie Symonds, 32, gave birth to a baby boy.
