The number of deaths involving Covid-19 registered each week in England and Wales remains on a downwards trend despite the recent rise in infections, new figures show.
A total of 235 deaths registered in the seven days to September 23 mentioned coronavirus on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This is down 22% on the previous week and is the lowest total since the start of June.
The figures will have been affected by the bank holiday on September 19 for the Queen’s funeral, when most register offices were closed.
This means fewer deaths were registered than would normally be the case.
But the size of the drop in the latest figures suggests deaths are still on a broadly downwards path.
It is too soon to see any impact in death registrations of the recent rise in Covid-19 infections in England and Wales.
This is because the trend in deaths always lags behind the equivalent trend in infections, due to the length of time between someone catching the virus and becoming seriously ill, as well as the time it takes for deaths to be registered.
Registrations climbed during much of June and July following the wave of infections caused by the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants of Covid-19.
The figures peaked at 810 deaths in the week to July 29, since when they have been on a downwards trend.
The peak was well below the level seen during the Alpha wave in January 2021, when weekly deaths reached nearly 8,500.
High levels of Covid antibodies among the population – either from vaccination or previous infection – mean the number of people seriously ill or dying from the virus this year has stayed low.
Figures published last week by the ONS showed that Covid-19 infections are continuing to increase in England and Wales, though levels are still well below those reached during the BA.4/BA.5 wave.
In England, the number of people in private households testing positive for coronavirus in the week to September 17 was 857,400, or around one in 65 – up from 766,500, or one in 70, in the seven days to September 14.
The latest estimate for infections in Wales is 62,900, or one in 50 people, up from 39,700, or one in 75.
Covid-19 patient numbers are also starting to rise again.
The number of people in hospital in England with coronavirus stood at 7,024 on September 28, up 37% week on week.
Patient numbers topped 14,000 in mid-July at the peak of the BA.4/BA.5 wave, after which they started to fall steadily.
This decline came to a halt in mid-September, however.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel