Weekly Covid deaths fall for the first time in three months – ONS
Registered weekly deaths involving Covid-19 in England and Wales have fallen for the first time in three months, new figures show.
There were 2,835 deaths registered in the week ending December 4 where “novel coronavirus” was mentioned on the death certificate, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
This is a fall of 205 deaths from the previous week, and the first weekly drop since the week ending September 4.
Of the 12,303 deaths registered in Week 49, 2,835 mention #COVID19 on the death certificate (23.0% of all deaths).
This has fallen by 205 #COVID19 deaths since the previous week (Week 48) https://t.co/ccvTuxlAf6pic.twitter.com/20XhS7o71Q
— Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) December 15, 2020
The latest data covers the seven-day period during which the four-week national lockdown was lifted on December 2.
The biggest decrease in deaths involving coronavirus was seen in those aged 80 to 84, with 60 fewer deaths compared with the previous week.
Three-quarters of deaths involving Covid-19 were in people aged 75 and over.
The number of deaths from all causes in hospitals, care homes and private homes remained above the average for this period over the past five years.
The number of deaths involving #COVID19 decreased across all of the English regions except the West Midlands, the East and London https://t.co/0Uly4QIhGopic.twitter.com/AozoflhZWm
— Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) December 15, 2020
Deaths involving coronavirus fell in all English regions except the West Midlands, the East and London.
All English regions had a higher number of deaths from all causes than the five-year average for the fourth week in a row.
In Wales, the number of deaths involving Covid-19 decreased for the second week in a row from 218 deaths to 207 deaths.
This was still 157 deaths higher than the five-year average.