Excess mortality rate drops to the lowest level since March
The number of excess deaths for week 21 of the year have been very similar to the number of Covid-19 related deaths for the first time since March, according to the Continuous Mortality Index (CMI).
This is the latest finding from CMI's weekly mortality monitor analysis for 16-22 May, based on England and Wales deaths data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
There were 18% more deaths registered in week 21 of 2020 than if death rates had been the same in week 21 of 2019.
The figures come after a ‘backlog' of death registrations last week following VE Day on 8 March led to a slight spike of 40% in an otherwise month-long downwards trend.
There may now have been up to 64,500 more deaths in the UK from the start of the pandemic to 1 June than if rates were similar to those experienced last year.
CMI mortality projections committee chair Cobus Daneel said: "The latest data shows this decrease in excess weekly deaths to the lowest level since late March - excess deaths were much higher than Covid-19 deaths in the earlier part of the pandemic."
The UK began its twelfth week in lockdown on 1 June, with the next review for relaxation measures in England expected at the end of the month.
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