The Good Morning Britain host ripped into care minister Helen Whately as she tried to defend why so few of them have been tested so far – amid reports that up to 4,000 patients could have died already.
Experts think that many more people have died out of hospital than the 217 that have been reported so far – as those figures have a 10-day lag.
Piers said to the care minister this morning: “I want to show you this.”
But she was unable to see when Piers showed her the Daily Mail’s front page.
“I’m really sorry, I can’t see,” she said.
Piers told her: “I’m showing viewers a Daily Mail front page, I don’t know why you’re laughing. Why are you laughing?”
And she replied: “I’m sorry, my reaction was because you said, I’ll show you something, but I can’t see what you’re showing.”
The care minister went on to stress how hard everyone in the health and social care is working to protect vulnerable people.
Piers repeatedly asked Mrs Whately this morning: “Is it true that 4,000 people have died?
“It’s not a question of how how hard you are working. stop telling us how hard you are working.
“What I want to know is, is it true 4,000 people have died in care homes, yes or no?”
But she added: “I wasn’t talking about me personally, I was talking about all of health and social care, care providers, local authorities, working to make sure we are doing everything we can to protect vulnerable people in care.
“I think it’s really really important… to take the steps that we can.”
The Good Morning Britain host interjected: “Ill tell you what’s really important, that you answer straight questions. Why are you laughing?”
Mrs Whatley added: “I’m trying to answer your question but.
Piers said: “All you can do is laugh? What is wrong with you? What do you find funny about this?
She said: “I don’t think it’s funny in the slightest.
“I am not laughing. Please don’t suggest for a minute that I am laughing.
“It feels like you are shouting at me and that you are not giving me a chance to answer.”
Matt Hancock has today promised to test anyone in care homes who needs it – amid reports that just 500 have had one so far.
She went on to explain how the ONS data was just up until April the 3rd, but admitted that the true number could be even higher.
“I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to give you a ballpark figure as something as serious as this,” she said.
He said that “you as the care minister should have some idea of how many people have died in care homes”.
She claimed that just 19 have died so far – and the other numbers have not been verified yet.
Manager Anita Peet said yesterday she is fighting a losing battle at the Wren Hall Nursing Home and has slammed the lack of help from health chiefs in the crisis.
Ten residents died over Easter weekend at the home in Selston, Notts, with all but one confirmed to be from the killer bug and another 15 are in isolation.
Mrs Peet said: “We are just having deaths all the time.
“Are people dispensable? It feels as if people are not worth saving. But that is certainly not how we feel.”
“It’s getting harder and harder every day. We’re fighting a losing battle.
“It is awful that people are not being able to prepare for this, to spend quality time with loved ones. It is making the whole situation more challenging.
“We call our residents’ family members because they are part of our family. It is just tearing staff apart watching this unfold.”
