Coronavirus: Deaths rise in England and Wales for sixth week in a row, figures show
The number of Covid-19 deaths recorded in England and Wales has risen for the sixth week in a row, new figures show.
A total of 670 deaths registered in the week ending 16 October mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is up from 438 deaths on the previous week — an increase of 53 per cent.
It is the highest number of coronavirus deaths since the week ending 19 June, and points to the growing severity of the UK’s second wave.
Advisers to the government have warned that the country is on course for thousands of more deaths in the coming months, some of which are already “baked in” as a result of the infections that have already taken place in the wider population.
Deaths increased in all regions in England and Wales, and in hospitals, care homes, hospices, private homes and other communal establishments, the ONS said.
Of the latest deaths, 521 occurred in hospitals, 106 in care homes, 33 in private homes, six in hospices, two in other communal establishments and two elsewhere.
The northwest recorded 229 deaths up to 16 October — the highest number for the region since the week ending 5 June 5.
Looking at hospital deaths on the day they occurred, there were 86 deaths on 15 October. This is the highest number of daily deaths for four months, since 90 hospital deaths were recorded on 10 June.
More than 61,000 deaths involving Covid-19 have now occurred in the UK since the start of the pandemic, according to the latest reports from the ONS and other statistics agencies.
Separate data published by on the ONS on Tuesday showed that, between 25 September and 8 October, 17- to 24-year olds in England had the highest positivity rates in areas of the country where there was both a high and low prevalence of Covid-19 in the community.
Over the same time period, the ONS found there was no longer a difference in positivity rates between those who had and had not travelled abroad in the previous 30 days.
Previously, data showed more positive results were returned by those people who had been abroad.
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