Update about Coronavirus (Covid-19): 59 people Have died of Coronavirus in Newham in the past three weeks with confirmed cases increasing to 608 - From Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz 8 April 2020

​​Dear Newham Resident,

There has been more depressing news for us all to take in as the Coronavirus continues to dominate our lives, with official figures showing that the highest number of deaths have been recorded in a single day so far, with 938 people losing their lives in hospitals bringing the total of UK fatalities to 7,097. ​

We now know that at least 59 people have died in Newham, based on information we’ve received from the Barts NHS Trust. This includes the first death from coronavirus I told you about on the 18th March - which was three weeks ago.

I know this number will be shocking and I also know there are likely to be more because of the significant under-reporting of lives lost from this brutal virus. The figures also don’t include those that will have died in our community because of what I wrote yesterday: ‘there’s a time lag in deaths being reported by NHS Trusts, which only includes deaths in hospitals where tests confirm it was due to coronavirus; and not deaths occurring in the community (for example in care homes) or where there’s been a delay in determining the cause of death by coroners’.

The council has no way to control the flow of this information and it highlights the devastating reality of the crisis we are all facing, including the 608 confirmed cases of people infected with coronavirus – up 73 from yesterday.

Tomorrow the government’s COBRA emergency committee will review the lock-down measures which have been put in place – but frankly given these horrendous statistics I can’t imagine, or wish to see, any move away any time soon from the #StayAtHome restrictions in place.

I understand as the Easter holidays approach, the temptation to ignore the rules, to visit family, loved ones and simply break the monotony of life in lock-down, may be tempting. But please, think twice. You may literally have deaths on your hands if you do the wrong thing.

This evening, I want to end with prayers and deepest sympathies to all those families in Newham who are bereft by the loss of their loved ones.

Published: 08 Apr 2020