BAME groups are also more likely than people of white may face additional barriers in accessing services because of cultural and language differences.

• Bangladeshi and Pakistani background have higher rates of cardiovascular disease than people from white British

• Black Caribbean and black African ethnicity have higher rates of hypertension compared with other ethnic groups

• The mortality rates from Covid-19 in the most deprived areas were found to be more than double the least deprived areas

• Diabetes was 43% in the Asian group, 45% in the black group and higher in all BAME groups than for the white British population

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “This work underlines that being black or from a minority ethnic background is a major risk factor.

There has been a call for the government to have a public inquiry involving all BAME multicultural communities to have a deep look at this problem and come up with solutions to learn from this acute problem and learn lessons to avoid mass casualties in the future.