UK Covid deaths doubled this summer

The latest data shows that there were twice as many Covid deaths in the UK this summer in comparison to last year. However, currently, the death rate has decreased as the current virus wave is less severe than the previous ones. Overall Covid deaths this year are still significantly lower than in 2021.

Since the beginning of June, when two Omicron subvariants became prevalent, more than 5,700 fatalities have been recorded. The 98 per cent increase over the 2,936 deaths including Covid occurred in the UK over the same period of time last year.

As per the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the number of deaths caused by the recent Covid wave of Omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5, is declining. In mid-August, there were 674 Covid deaths in the UK, fewer than the ones reported earlier.

Furthermore, the number of deaths reported this year between January and August stands at 65,000, twice as many deaths as reported last year during the same time period.

The older groups are especially affected by other individuals passing away, this summer than the previous. Most of the deaths reported this summer were of people over the age of 85 years old, compared to 27 per cent of fatalities in 2021.

The number of deaths caused among people aged between 75 and 84 has also increased this summer. There were 77 per cent more deaths than in the previous year.

With more than three times as many deaths compared to the same period in 2021, Wales and the east and south-west of England saw the largest increase in Covid deaths.

In England, Covid was sixth amongst the most common causes of mortality in July.