UK deaths rise above five-year average but 'likely due to heatwave' as Covid fatalities continue to fall, ONS figures show
The rate of UK deaths has risen above the five-year average but this is "likely due to the heatwave" not coronavirus, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
A total of 9,392 deaths were registered in England and Wales in the week ending August 14 – 307 above the five-year average of 9,085.
The increase was not driven by Covid-19, the ONS said.
Instead the rise above the five-year average was “likely due to the heatwave” that affected England and Wales during this period.
Of the deaths registered in the week to August 14, 139 mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate – down from 152 in the previous week.
Seven regions of England had deaths above the five-year average in the week ending August 14, the ONS said.
They were north-east England (11.1 per cent above), the East Midlands (9.9 per cent above), London (5.5 per cent above), north-west England (5.2 per cent above), south-west England (4.3 per cent above), eastern England (1.4 per cent above) and south-east England (1.3 per cent).
In two regions the number of registered deaths was below the five-year average: the West Midlands (2.1 per cent below) and Yorkshire & the Humber (2.2 per cent below).
In Wales, the number of deaths registered in the week to August 14 was 9.4 per cent above the five-year average.
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