Covid related deaths at highest level since April
Weekly deaths involving coronavirus in England and Wales have climbed to their highest level in three months.
A total of 327 deaths registered in the week ending July 23 mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate, up 50 per cent compared to the previous week according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Deaths reached their highest level since the April 16th when 362 weekly deaths were registered with Covid on the certificate. While Covid related deaths dipped as low as 84 per week in June figures are surging as a third wave takes hold, leading to a sharp increase in new cases of coronavirus since May.
Although the number of deaths is climbing the figure is still well below levels seen at the peak of the second wave emphasising the success of the UK’s vaccination programme which has reached 88.6 per cent of adults.
In the week ending January 29, when daily average cases reached 23,000, some 8,433 deaths involving Covid-19 were recorded in England and Wales. While 29,000 cases were recorded in the week ending July 23 Covid related deaths remained in triple digits – 7.2 per cent above the pre-pandemic five year average.
One of the steepest rises to deaths over the week occurred amongst care home residents, 35 of whom died in the penultimate week of July compared to 27 a week prior.
A total of 42,649 care home residents in England and Wales have had covid-19 recorded on their death certificates since the pandemic began.
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