The UK's coronavirus death toll is now the highest in Europe and the second-highest in the world, according to new figures.
Data released on Tuesday morning confirmed there were 29,648 Covid-19 deaths in England and Wales as of April 24, which is higher than Italy's current toll of 29,079.
With Scotland and Northern Ireland's tolls included, which are 1620 and 393 respectively, the toll now exceeds 30,000.
The highest death toll in the world is in America with 69,925.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) announced on Tuesday there were 6,391 deaths in care homes involving coronavirus reported by care home providers in England to the Care Quality Commission up to May 1.
READ MORE: Covid victims could be quarantined 'away from household'
They said there were 5,890 coronavirus-related care home deaths registered up to April 24 in England and Wales.
The ONS total is 34% higher than the Department of Health total.
This is because the ONS figures include all mentions of Covid-19 on a death certificate, including suspected Covid-19, and are based on the date that deaths occurred.
The Department of Health figures are based on when deaths were reported and are for deaths where a person has been tested positive for Covid-19.
Colin Angel, UK Homecare Association (UKHCA) policy director, said sourcing PPE is causing "really high" levels of stress for care providers.
He told BBC Breakfast: "I think every homecare provider in the country is really struggling to get a sure supply of PPE, and having enough to be confident that they can continue providing care services across, sometimes even days, if not just a few weeks.
"And it's a real stress. I have a provider who was telling me he was spending 90% of his time trying to phone round and get PPE delivered.
READ MORE: Doctors fear crisis will ramp up future demand for NHS services
"That means he's looking for PPE rather than being able to run the rest of his service.
"And that's a huge problem, and the levels of stress it's creating both for providers delivering care and their frontline care workers is really high."
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