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| Coronavirus: Number dying hits 20-year high | 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. | 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 - about 8,000 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. | 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. | "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? | 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 fuller 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. | 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 April were linked to coronavirus. | |
| More people have died from flu and pneumonia | |
| Another way to judge the impact of coronavirus is to look at the overall impact on the numbers dying over the course of the year. | |
| The figures show overall number of deaths are up. Nearly 185,000 people have died compared to around 175,000 on average compared to past five years - up until the pandemic hit the death rate was lower than average. | |
| But the figures for year-to-date also show the impact of flu and pneumonia compared to coronavirus. | |
| The number of deaths from flu and pneumonia - at more than 32,000 - is three times higher than the total number of coronavirus deaths this year. | |
| This difference will obviously narrow in the coming weeks as the flu season is coming to an end. | |
| But all of this relies on clinical judgement rather than a diagnostic test. Flu and coronavirus have similar symptoms - cough and fever - and flu is not tested for. |