Covid-19 was third biggest killer in England in October, ONS

Coronavirus was the third biggest killer in England in October, official figures show — but the total number of deaths from all causes for the month was no different to last year.  

An Office for National Statistics report today found there were 43,265 fatalities recorded last month — just eight more than in October 2019 — of which 3,367 involved Covid-19 (7.8 per cent). 

The number-crunching body has previously said deaths were ‘front-loaded’ this year because so many elderly and vulnerable people fell victim to the disease in the spring. 

The 3,367 Covid deaths meant the disease was third leading cause of death in England last month, having climbed from 19th in September, when there were 690. 

It makes October the fourth deadliest month since the pandemic struck behind April, when there were 30,000, May 12,600 and June 4,200. 

Dementia and Alzheimer’s were the leading causes of death in England last month, claiming 4,871 lives, followed by heart diseases, which killed 4,282 people. Flu and pneumonia were the seventh biggest killers, with 1,262 deaths. 

In Wales, 285 of the 2,992 people who died in October had Covid-19 on their death certificate, the highest there since May, when there were 678 virus-related fatalities. The 2,992 deaths there is 118 more deaths than in October 2019 and 258 more deaths than the five-year average for the month (8.6 per cent).   

Coronavirus deaths in England are rising again but the total number of people dying from all causes is still in line with the five-year average. The ONS has previously said that deaths were 'front-loaded' this year because so many elderly and vulnerable people fell victim to the disease in the spring

Coronavirus deaths in England are rising again but the total number of people dying from all causes is still in line with the five-year average. The ONS has previously said that deaths were ‘front-loaded’ this year because so many elderly and vulnerable people fell victim to the disease in the spring

A similar story is playing out in Wales - where 285 of the 2,992 people who died in October had Covid-19 on their death certificate

A similar story is playing out in Wales – where 285 of the 2,992 people who died in October had Covid-19 on their death certificate

Of the 43,265 fatalities registered during last month in England, 3,367 involved Covid-19 (7.8 per cent). Dementia and Alzheimer's was the leading cause of death last month, claiming 4,871 lives, followed by heart diseases, which killed 4,282 people. Flu and pneumonia were the seventh biggest killer, with 1,262 deaths

Of the 43,265 fatalities registered during last month in England, 3,367 involved Covid-19 (7.8 per cent). Dementia and Alzheimer’s was the leading cause of death last month, claiming 4,871 lives, followed by heart diseases, which killed 4,282 people. Flu and pneumonia were the seventh biggest killer, with 1,262 deaths

The statistics in England are almost identical to those in Wales (shown). There were 2,992 deaths registered in total in October in Wales

The statistics in England are almost identical to those in Wales (shown). There were 2,992 deaths registered in total in October in Wales

Despite the rise in Covid fatalities, total deaths in England from all causes in October were just 6 per cent above the five-year average. There are usually around 40,000 at this time of year. 

In England, the first virus death occurred on January 30 and daily deaths peaked at 1,225 deaths on April 8. Since then the daily toll had been plummeting thanks to the effects of the first national lockdown.

But there was an uptick in mid-September, thought to have been caused by schools and universities going back.

Daily deaths continued to rise through October, with the highest number of Covid fatalities occurring on October 29 (189 deaths). It marked the highest number of deaths in a day since May 28, when there were 202 deaths.  

Families WILL be allowed to meet over Christmas but face 25-DAY lockdown

A health chief has warned England could face 25 days of extra restrictions for just five days of festive freedom in which Britons could visit their loved ones – as the daily number of Covid infections and deaths fell by 15 and 11 per cent in a week.  

Britain recorded 19,609 new Covid-19 cases yesterday, down from 2.2 per cent on the 20,051 announced on Tuesday and 14.6 per cent lower than the 22,950 figure last Wednesday. There were also 529 deaths, which is 11.5 per cent less than the 598 on Tuesday and 11.1 per cent smaller than the 595 a week ago. 

It is hoped the week-on-week drop signals the national lockdown is starting to take effect, after getting off to a rocky start last week when infections continued to climb despite the tough curbs. Experts feared Brits rushing to pubs and restaurants for a pre-lockdown blowout would trigger a spike in cases.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said yesterday it was his ‘desire to try and allow loved ones to have Christmas together’ after a tumultuous year that has seen families kept apart for months on end.

Ministers are said to be thrashing out plans to free the country from lockdown shackles for five days between December 24 to 28 and allow family ‘bubbles’ of up to four households to gather indoors for festive celebrations. 

Under the proposals, an undisclosed number of households would be permitted to form a ‘bubble’ for a few days. Churches are also expected to be allowed to hold Christmas Day services, with the Church of England saying ‘the message of light shining in the darkness’ is needed now more than ever. 

Speaking at a Downing Street press conference on Wednesday, Public Health England’s top doctor Susan Hopkins said she believes ‘it is possible’ — though she warned that for every day measures are loosened, it will require five days of tighter restrictions to reverse the damage.

It could mean spending an extra 25 days in some form of lockdown and scrapping New Year celebrations if the PM’s Christmas plans are given the go-ahead. She said the public need to make ‘every effort’ to keep coronavirus cases low in December in order to gather over the festive period.

The number of death occurrences on more recent dates in October are likely to rise as the ONS receives more death registrations, which time to backdate and log. 

In Wales, the first death with an underlying cause of Covid-19 occurred on March 15. As in England, the number of daily fatalities reached the peak on April 8, when there were 70 victims.

Since then, the number of had been gradually decreasing, with no COVID-19 deaths occurring on 41 days between June and September. 

However, daily Covid-19 deaths increased throughout October, with 19 deaths occurring on 31 October 2020 (though this may be higher because of registrations delays). 

In England, the Covid-19 death rate per 100,000 people was 63.5 in October and in Wales it was 81.9. Although mortality rates due to Covid-19 increased last month, they are a fraction of the levels in April and May.

In England, the rate was was 90 per cent lower than the darkest days in April (623.2 deaths per 100,000 people) and in Wales the rate was 83.5 per cent. 

In both England and Wales, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease was the leading cause of death this October, with 103.4 deaths per 100,000 people in England (4,871 deaths) and 106.6 deaths per 100,000 people in Wales (305 deaths). 

The second most common cause of death was ischaemic heart diseases, with 4,282 deaths in England (a rate of 91.8 deaths per 100,000 people) and 303 deaths in Wales (a rate of 105.5 deaths per 100,000 people).

Covid-19 was the third most common cause of death in both England and Wales last month. For comparison, in September it was the 19th biggest killer in England and the 24th most common in Wales. 

Between January 1 and October 31, 448,579 deaths occurred in England and were registered by November 7 – which marks 37,873 more deaths than the five-year average. 

Of all the deaths, 11.1 per cent were directly caused by Covid-19, or 50,012 deaths. But when the ONS includes deaths that were suspected of being Covid-19, the death toll rises to more than 60,000.

In Wales, 29,018 deaths occurred in 2020 to date (and were registered by 7 November), which was 1,419 more deaths than the five-year average. The virus was the underlying cause of death in 9.1 per cent of all deaths that occurred (2,629).

Yesterday, Britain recorded 19,609 new Covid-19 cases yesterday, down from 2.2 per cent on the 20,051 announced on Tuesday and 14.6 per cent lower than the 22,950 figure last Wednesday. 

There were also 529 deaths, which is 11.5 per cent less than the 598 on Tuesday and 11.1 per cent smaller than the 595 a week ago. 

It is hoped the week-on-week drop signals the national lockdown is starting to take effect, after getting off to a rocky start last week when infections continued to climb despite the tough curbs. 

Experts feared Brits rushing to pubs and restaurants for a pre-lockdown blowout would trigger a spike in cases.

source: dailymail.co.uk