New figures released by the Office for National Statistics have revealed the extent of the toll Covid-19 has taken on south-east London’s care homes, with 215 deaths within them attributed to the virus from March to June.

The new numbers show that at the peak of the pandemic from April 10 to 23, care homes within the borough of Bromley experienced 36 coronavirus-related deaths, out of 108 total care home deaths across the borough in the same time.

Greenwich had 28 Covid-related care home deaths in the same time (out of 68 total care home deaths in the borough), while Bexley had 27-coronavirus related deaths from April 10 to 23 (of 74 total care home deaths in the borough).

The new statistics show a marked decline in the rate of deaths since that peak.

Between June 5 and June 20, no deaths were recorded in Bromley and Greenwich care homes attributed to the virus, while Bexley had just three.

The new data, which runs from March 6 to June 20, show a total of 103 care home deaths in Bromley attributed to Covid-19 during that time.

Greenwich has seen 45 coronavirus-related deaths over that period, while Bexley had 67, making a total of 215 care home deaths for the trio of south-east London boroughs. 

Councils across the area have now talked up their testing capabilities, with rolling testing implemented in care homes now to prevent any more outbreaks.

Greenwich Council last month confirmed eight of the borough’s 11 care homes recorded outbreaks of Covid-19 as the local authority scrambled to source PPE after supply lines broke down.

A meeting of Bexley Council’s last week also saw senior staff say the authority was as “prepared as they can be” for a potential second wave of the deadly virus.

As of July 3, Bexley had 1,042 confirmed coronavirus cases according to Public Health England.

Bromley had reached 1,512, while Greenwich had 942.