Covid-19 deaths are now falling in ALL age groups in England and Wales - Daily Mail

Covid-19 deaths are now falling in ALL age groups for the first time since crisis began in England and Wales as official data reveals the week ending June 12 saw the fewest fatalities for three months

• Office for National Statistics shows 865 patients died in week to June 12, the lowest since March 20  
• Total deaths are now at least 53,738 for the UK, at June 12, including suspected cases that did not get tested
• In May the virus killed people at twice the rate of any other illness, including dementia and stroke
• Weekly deaths dropped for all age groups except 25-29, where it remained at 1 death for three weeks in a row 
• More than 65,000 'excess deaths' - those above average - have been recorded this year across Britain
• Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19

By Sam Blanchard Senior Health Reporter For Mailonline

Published: 10:21 BST, 23 June 2020 | Updated: 11:14 BST, 23 June 2020

Advertisement

The number of people dying of the coronavirus is now falling in almost all age groups for the first time since the start of Britain's epidemic, official statistics show.

In the week that ended on June 12, a total of 865 people died with Covid-19, which was the lowest weekly number in three months - since March 20.

And it was also the first time the number of fatalities dropped below 1,000 since the outbreak spiralled out of control in the spring.

The total number of deaths continues to creep, however, with more than 53,000 coronavirus deaths confirmed by June 12 and excess deaths - those of any cause that happen above average - rising to more than 65,000. 

Office for National Statistics data shows that the weekly registrations of coronavirus deaths did not increase in any age groups in the week to June 12. It was stagnant among 25 to 29-year-olds, among whom there has been one death per week for three weeks, but fell in all other groups.

The biggest drop was among the over-90s, who have been hardest hit by the virus. The most recent week of data saw 127 fewer deaths than the week before, and there were 94 fewer victims announced in people in their late 80s.

Today's data adds to figures showing the virus is retreating in England and Wales, with lockdown rules expected to be loosened further today and Prime Minister Boris Johnson claiming on Sunday that Covid-19 is 'increasingly under control'.

At least 53,738 people had been killed by the coronavirus by June 12, statistics show, which is 11,000 more than the Department of Health has counted. In May the virus killed people at twice the rate of any other disease, including dementia.

Data published today shows that the number of people dying with the coronavirus appears to have stopped rising among people of all ages.

This is the first time since the beginning of the pandemic that it's happened, the ONS said in its report.

The most recent statistics, for the week between June 6 and June 12, showed that 1,114 deaths were registered then, down from 1,588 the week before.

While the number of deaths being recorded stayed still for some younger age groups, among whom there were one or zero deaths, it fell in all groups over the age of 29, which accounted for all but one of the fatalities (99.9 per cent).

The biggest proportional fall was among 65 to 69-year-olds, where deaths fell by 46 per cent in a week.

COVID-19 KILLED PEOPLE AT TWICE THE RATE OF ANY OTHER DISEASE IN MAY

Office for National Statistics data shows that the coronavirus was twice as deadly as any other disease in May.

Covid-19 killed 210.3 people per 100,000 in that month.

By comparison, dementia accounted for 111.4 per 100,000 deaths - but this was above average (103.3) and may have been affected by undiagnosed coronavirus in care homes.

Heart disease caused death at a rate of 71.5 per 100,000, down from its average 98.1.

And strokes (cerebrovascular disease) killed 43.9 people per 100,000 in May, down from the average 55.4.

Experts have suggested deaths from other causes may have reduced either because the same patients caught coronavirus and died with it, or because they put off going to hospital and their death was delayed.

Advertisement

Fatalities dropped by 40 per cent in 35 to 39-year-olds, by 36 per cent among 50 to 54-year-olds and 34 per cent in those aged 55 to 59.

The biggest reduction in number was in over-90s, who are the worst affected by the disease. There was a drop of 127 deaths week-on-week among them - from 404 to 277.

Today's data also shows that the number of people dying each week has fallen to a 12-week low.

Looking at the actual dates on which people died - a different measure to when the deaths were registered - there were 865 fatalities in the week to June 12.

This was below 1,000 for the first time since March 20 - before lockdown - when 401 people died. 

It was the lowest figure for 12 weeks and a 32 per cent drop from 1,276 the week before.

The ONS also shows that 48,866 people had been killed by the coronavirus by mid-June in England and Wales alone.

Combined with data from National Records Scotland and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, this puts the UK death toll at 53,738.

The number is 11,000 higher than the 42,647 recorded by the Department of Health because it includes everyone who has the virus mentioned on their death certificate, regardless of whether they have been tested.

The downside to the ONS number is that it has to be done over a longer period of time so it's 10 days behind the present day. 

Another measure of deaths caused by the pandemic, excess deaths, now sits at 65,173 across Britain.

This measures the number of deaths above average for the year so far, and may include people who didn't actually catch Covid-19 but died because they could not - or would not - go to hospital, for example.

The number of excess deaths registered in England and Wales in the week ending June 12 was 559, according the ONS. 

That was the lowest number since the week ending March 20. 

In the week ending June 12  the number of deaths in hospitals was below average, marking the second week in a row there had been no excess deaths in hospitals.

There were still excess deaths registered in both care homes and private homes during this week, although the number was down on the previous seven days.

The difficulty of measuring excess deaths is that it is not clear how many of them can be directly attributed to the coronavirus pandemic.

For some patients the epidemic - and the fact they have missed out on treatment - may have delayed their death if they would have died from an infection caught in hospital, such as MRSA or pneumonia. 

Office for National Statistics data shows that the coronavirus was twice as deadly as any other disease in May.

Covid-19 killed 210.3 people per 100,000 in that month.

By comparison, dementia accounted for 111.4 per 100,000 deaths - but this was above average (103.3) and may have been affected by undiagnosed coronavirus in care homes.

Heart disease caused death at a rate of 71.5 per 100,000, down from its average 98.1.

And strokes (cerebrovascular disease) killed 43.9 people per 100,000 in May, down from the average 55.4.

Experts have suggested deaths from other causes may have reduced either because the same patients caught coronavirus and died with it, or because they put off going to hospital and their death was delayed.

HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE REALLY DIED OF THE CORONAVIRUS?

Department of Health: 42,647

Department of Health's latest death count for all settings stands at 42,647.

The daily data does not represent how many Covid-19 patients died within the last 24 hours — it is only how many fatalities have been reported and registered with the authorities. 

It also only takes into account patients who tested positive for the virus, as opposed to deaths suspected to be down to the coronavirus.  

National statistical bodies: 53,738

Data compiled by the statistical bodies of each of the home nations show 53,738 people died of either confirmed or suspected Covid-19 across the UK by the end of May.

The real number of victims will be even higher because the tally only takes into account deaths that occurred up until June 14 in Scotland and June 12 in the rest of Britain, meaning it is up to 10 days out of date.

The Office for National Statistics yesterday confirmed that 48,866 people in England and Wales died with confirmed or suspected Covid-19 by June 12.

The number of coronavirus deaths was 802 by the same day in Northern Ireland, according to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).

National Records Scotland — which collects statistics north of the border — said 4,070 people had died across the country by June 14.

Their tallies are always 10 days behind the Department of Health (DH) because they wait until as many fatalities as possible for each date have been counted, to avoid having to revise their statistics.

Excess deaths: 65,173

The total number of excess deaths has now passed 65,000. 

Excess deaths are considered to be an accurate measure of the number of people killed by the pandemic because they include a broader spectrum of victims.

As well as including people who may have died with Covid-19 without ever being tested, the data also shows how many more people died because their medical treatment was postponed, for example, or who didn't or couldn't get to hospital when they were seriously ill.

Data from England and Wales shows there has been an extra 59,324 deaths between March 20 and June 5, as well as 4,877 in Scotland between March 16 and June 14 and 972 in Northern Ireland between March 28 and June 12. 

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiZmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRhaWx5bWFpbC5jby51ay9uZXdzL2FydGljbGUtODQ1MDQ2My9Db3ZpZC0xOS1kZWF0aHMtZmFsbGluZy1hZ2UtZ3JvdXBzLUVuZ2xhbmQtV2FsZXMuaHRtbNIBamh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRhaWx5bWFpbC5jby51ay9uZXdzL2FydGljbGUtODQ1MDQ2My9hbXAvQ292aWQtMTktZGVhdGhzLWZhbGxpbmctYWdlLWdyb3Vwcy1FbmdsYW5kLVdhbGVzLmh0bWw?oc=5

2020-06-23 10:22:28Z
52780873333222