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| Coronavirus: Number dying hits 20-year high | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Deaths in England and Wales have risen sharply above what would be expected, hitting a 20-year high. | |
| The Office for National Statistics said there were 18,500 deaths in the week up to 10 April - around 10,000 more than is normal at this time of year. | |
| More than 6,200 were linked to coronavirus, a sixth of which were outside of hospital. | More than 6,200 were linked to coronavirus, a sixth of which were outside of hospital. |
| But deaths from other causes also increased, suggesting the lockdown may be having an indirect impact on health. | But deaths from other causes also increased, suggesting the lockdown may be having an indirect impact on health. |
| Nick Stripe, head of health analysis, said they were trying to understand what had been happening with this increase in non-coronavirus deaths. | Nick Stripe, head of health analysis, said they were trying to understand what had been happening with this increase in non-coronavirus deaths. |
| He said it could be that people with other illnesses were avoiding going to hospital treatment - visits to A&E have halved since the pandemic started. | He said it could be that people with other illnesses were avoiding going to hospital treatment - visits to A&E have halved since the pandemic started. |
| But he added it could "take years to work out". | But he added it could "take years to work out". |
| Mr Stripe said you have to go back to January 2000 to see a higher number of deaths in one week - and he said the true figure may have been even higher as the week includes Good Friday when some death registration facilities were closed. | |
| "Each one is a person. Each one has a family. We must always remember this," he added. | |
| A similar trend is being reported in Scotland where there were nearly 2,000 deaths in the week up to 12 April. | A similar trend is being reported in Scotland where there were nearly 2,000 deaths in the week up to 12 April. |
| Deaths in Northern Ireland are also up. | Deaths in Northern Ireland are also up. |
| What does this tell us about coronavirus deaths? | |
| This data is different from the daily death figures which are announced by government. | This data is different from the daily death figures which are announced by government. |
| That looks at deaths in hospital where a person is infected with coronavirus, which does not tell us to what extent the death is caused by the virus. | That looks at deaths in hospital where a person is infected with coronavirus, which does not tell us to what extent the death is caused by the virus. |
| The ONS figures rely on death certificates where the cause or contributory factors are listed. | The ONS figures rely on death certificates where the cause or contributory factors are listed. |
| As a result, the figures lag behind the government figures but give a more accurate picture of what is happening. | As a result, the figures lag behind the government figures but give a more accurate picture of what is happening. |
| They cover deaths in all situations - care homes and the community as well as hospitals - and so the figures are about a fifth higher than the government figures show. | |
| Since the pandemic started, more than 1,000 deaths have been seen in care homes. | Since the pandemic started, more than 1,000 deaths have been seen in care homes. |
| Overall a third of deaths during the week up to 10 Aril were linked to coronavirus. |