THE true coronavirus death toll in the UK is likely to hit 50,000, as new figures outside hospital push the total up.

Data released today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which provides weekly Covid-19 updates, revealed that in England and Wales alone, 43,870 people died from the virus up to May 22.

When taken with fatalities recorded in Scotland and Northern Ireland as well as more up-to-date, daily NHS figures counting deaths from coronavirus in hospitals the total stands at 49,368.

The UK death toll is currently the second highest in the world, behind only the US which has more than 100,000 fatalities.

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A report by Public Health England also released today, meanwhile, found people of Bangladeshi ethnicity have twice the risk of death than people of white British ethnicity from coronavirus.

With also an increased risk for other Asian, Caribbean and black ethnicities.

Though deaths in hospital are down a further 143 people, who tested positive for the coronavirus have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 26,865 as of 5pm on Monday.

Patients were aged between 36 and 100 years old, with eight of the 143 patients (aged between 48 and 91) having no known underlying health condition.

Oxfordshire hospitals have continued to report no new fatalities from the virus.

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the John Radcliffe Hospital and Banbury’s Horton General Hospital, has recorded 177 virus deaths, with the most recent announced on May 22.

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust has reported 22 deaths.