Weekly coronavirus deaths four times higher than this time last year, figures show

Weekly registered deaths involving coronavirus are four times higher than this time last year but appear to have levelled off, figures show.

Four times higher

There were 571 deaths in England and Wales where coronavirus was mentioned on the death certificate in the week ending 20 August, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. This is four times higher than the 139 coronavirus deaths registered in the week ending 21 August 2020. It’s a fall of just one death from the previous week, and equates to around one in 18 of all registered deaths over the seven days.

Last August, society was not fully opened up and several areas were in local lockdowns. Meanwhile, more people died from all causes than would usually be expected for this time of year for the seventh week in a row.

Some 10,013 deaths were registered in England and Wales – 359 fewer than the previous week but still 10.2% above the five-year average. A total of 157,648 deaths have occurred in the UK where coronavirus was mentioned on the death certificate, the ONS said. This includes 42,855 care home residents in England and Wales who have had coronavirus recorded on their death certificate since the pandemic began.

Of the deaths registered in Week 33 in England and Wales, 570 mentioned #COVID19 on the death certificate (5.7% of all deaths).

This is a decrease compared with Week 32 (571 deaths) https://t.co/sN0xznb1f6 pic.twitter.com/imKBqwdXUG

— Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) September 1, 2021

Some 50 care home resident deaths involving coronavirus were registered in the latest week. The ONS figures cover deaths of care home residents in all settings, not just in care homes.