Britain promises more nursing home virus tests

The British government is promising to test thousands of nursing home residents and staff for the new coronavirus, as it faces criticism for failing to count care-home deaths in its tally of victims.

The government says it will begin to routinely test care workers and will also test any residents who show symptoms.

Currently only the first five symptomatic residents of a home are tested to determine whether there is an outbreak.

British officials are under fire for failing to conduct more tests for COVID-19.

The government has promised to change that and has set a target of 100,000 tests a day by the end of April, a more than five-fold increase.

Charities have accused the government of treating elderly people like they don't matter, and social-care operators say the new coronavirus is causing devastation in the country's nursing homes.

Official statistics showed Tuesday that 15 per cent more people with COVID-19 have died than were recorded in the UK government's daily tally of hospital deaths including hundreds in care homes.