The UK’s coronavirus death rate has continued to fall after another 227 people were confirmed dead across the UK.

NHS England today recorded 174 more deaths in hospitals – but this does not take into account other settings like care homes.

Across all settings, Scotland announced 29 more deaths, while Wales had 17 and Northern Ireland had 7.

A preliminary daily tally of 227 is calculated by adding up the individual counts announced by each of the home nations.

The latest figures emerged after data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggested the true coronavirus death toll had passed 44,000.

The ONS said 39,071 deaths involving Covid-19 occurred in England and Wales up to May 8, while the latest figures from the National Records of Scotland, showed 3,213 deaths involving Covid-19 had been registered in Scotland up to May 10.

And the latest figures from the Northern Ireland showed 599 deaths involving Covid-19 had been registered in Northern Ireland up to May 13.

Together these figures mean that so far 42,883 deaths have been registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, including suspected cases.

A further 1,211 hospital patients in England who had tested positive for Covid-19 died between May 9 and May 17, according to figures published on Monday by NHS England – which, together with the total figure of 42,883 registered deaths, indicates an overall UK death toll of 44,094.

The UK has now far surpassed coronavirus-struck Italy and Spain to have the highest death toll in Europe, and the world’s second highest after the United States, whose population is nearly five times bigger.

Ministers dislike comparing death tolls between countries, saying that excess mortality – the number of deaths from all causes that exceed the average for the time of year – is a more meaningful metric.

Experts have also cautioned that international comparisons are difficult to make as this stage because countries record deaths so differently.

Tooay’s data from the ONS also painted a grim picture in care homes, which have been especially hard hit by the virus.

The death toll in care homes across the UK surpassed 10,000 as of May 8, the data showed.

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