SIX new deaths due to coronavirus have been recorded outside of hospital across north Essex, latest figures show.

Office for National Statistics data shows that 110 deaths involving Covid-19 were provisionally registered in Colchester up to July 18.

Of those, 31 occurred outside hospital – including 26 in care homes and two at private homes.

A further three deaths occurred in hospices, other community establishments or elsewhere.

That was up from 29 deaths outside hospital up to June 20.

The data shows 169 deaths involving Covid-19 were provisionally registered in Tendring during the same period.

Of those, 53 occurred outside hospital – including 43 in care homes and six at private homes. A further four deaths occurred in hospices, other community establishments or elsewhere.

That was up from 39 deaths in care homes up to June 20.

The latest figures, based on where Covid-19 is mentioned anywhere on the death certificate, include deaths that occurred up to July 10 but were registered up to eight days later.

It comes as England's chief medical officer told a parliamentary committee that ministers and experts failed to recognise care home residents were at risk from workers spreading Covid-19 earlier on in the pandemic.

Professor Chris Whitty admitted to MPs on the Commons Health and Social Care Committee that in retrospect some risk factors around care homes, including workers moving between homes and some staff not being paid sick leave, which meant they came into work while ill, had not been recognised early enough in the crisis.

He added that he would avoid blaming care homes for failing to prevent the high death toll among residents.

"I don’t think any of us would look back on what has happened in social care and say the ideal advice was given and this is the fault of anyone. I personally would shy away from that," he said.

The Government has been criticised for its handling of social care during the crisis, further fuelled by a June report which confirmed thousands of hospital patients were discharged into care homes in England without testing at the peak of the pandemic.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's recent criticism of care homes’ handling of the coronavirus pandemic also sparked fury within the sector.