This is how many covid-19 outbreaks have taken place in Sheffield's care homes

The statistics, which were published by Public Health England last week, show that the city has the worst affected care sector in England outside London.

Since the beginning of the pandemic in March, 74 of Sheffield’s 116 care homes have experienced outbreaks of the deadly virus.

This equates to 63 per cent of the sector, or two-thirds of the homes in the city.

The data currently available covers the period from March 9 until May 10.

The figures show Sheffield to be the fifth-worst affected local authority in the country, behind only the London boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea, Islington, Tower Hamlets and Bromley.

Up to May 1, there had been 8,312 deaths in care homes in England and Wales, equating to a quarter of all deaths associated with the virus to that date.