02 June 2021

Covid-19 mentioned in one in 90 registered deaths in England and Wales

02 June 2021

Covid-19 is now mentioned in only around one in 90 death registrations in England and Wales, new figures show.

A total of 107 deaths registered in the week ending May 21 had Covid-19 included on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This is the equivalent of 1.1% of all deaths registered in the week.

It is the lowest proportion since the week ending September 11 2020, when the figure was 1.0%, according to analysis by the PA news agency.

HEALTH Coronavirus Deaths (PA Graphics)

At the peak of the second wave, in the week ending January 29 2021, the figure stood at 45.7%.

This was the highest proportion for any week since the pandemic began.

During the first wave of the virus, the proportion peaked at 39.2% in the week to April 17 2020.

The number of Covid-19 deaths registered in England and Wales in the most recent week (to May 21) is also the lowest since the week to September 11.

The figures reflect the steady fall in deaths involving Covid-19 since January, with the combined impact of social restrictions and the vaccine rollout continuing to drive down the spread of the virus.

Covid-19 deaths among people aged 70 and over have fallen by 99% since the second-wave peak, PA analysis also shows.

Just 51 deaths in this age group occurred in England and Wales in the week ending May 14, down from 7,426 deaths in the week ending January 22.

Deaths for those aged 65 to 69 fell by 97% in the same period, and for those aged 60 to 64 the drop is 98%.

Deaths that occurred in the most recent week of reporting – the week to May 21 – are still being registered.

HEALTH Coronavirus Deaths (PA Graphics)

Meanwhile a total of 153,229 deaths have now occurred in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, the ONS said.

The highest number of deaths to occur on a single day was 1,477 on January 19.

During the first wave of the virus, the daily death toll peaked at 1,461 deaths on April 8 2020.

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