TEST Valley has one of the highest rates of coronavirus-related care home deaths across the country, although the true number remains relatively low.

Figures show that 100 people from Test Valley have died after contracting coronavirus.

This includes 57 deaths which occurred in care homes – a morality rate which is higher in only three other local authorities across the entire country.

The rate of coronavirus-related deaths in care homes per capita is also the highest in Hampshire, while the rate of overall coronavirus-related deaths per capita is second only to Winchester.

Latest data published by the Office for National Statistics reveals the number of people across the borough who have died so far this year, including those in which Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

In total there have been just over 600 deaths registered in Test Valley this year, meaning that one in six were linked to Covid-19.

Where population is factored into the equation, the number of coronavirus-related deaths per capita in Test Valley is amongst the highest in Hampshire, at 7.9 deaths per 10,000 people. Winchester (8.1 deaths per 10,000 people) is the only place in the county where this figure is higher.

In terms of coronavirus-related deaths in care homes per capita, no local authority in Hampshire was higher than Test Valley’s 4.5 deaths per 10,000 people.

By way of comparison, Havant – which has roughly the same population as Test Valley – registered 34 care home deaths related to coronavirus, 23 less than Test Valley.

Elsewhere in the country, Birmingham is the local authority to have registered the most deaths linked to Covid-19. In total, 1,115 of its 4,873 deaths registered this year have been linked to the virus.

However, in Birmingham 182 of coronavirus-related deaths occurred in care homes, equating to roughly 16 per cent – far lower than the 57 per cent recorded in Test Valley.

Nationally, only East Devon (62.8 per cent), Cheltenham (62.4 per cent) and West Oxfordshire (61.7 per cent) saw a higher percentage of coronavirus-related deaths occur in a care home setting.