Period of ‘excess deaths’ from second wave of Covid-19 has come to an end, ONS figures show

The number of coronavirus-related deaths have now dropped to similar levels recorded at the end of October 2020

The period of "excess deaths" from the second wave of coronavirus has come to an end, new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show. According to the ONS, there were just over 1,500 deaths involving COVID-19 in England and Wales in the week ending 12 March 2021, which is "the fewest since the week ending 30 October 2020." The ONS revealed that, for the first time since the beginning of September, the number of deaths from all causes also decreased in the past week, dropping below the five-year average. There were a total of 10,987 deaths registered in England and Wales in the week ending 12 March this year, of which nearly 14% involved COVID-19, according to the latest figures. On Twitter, the ONS said the number of deaths registered in the week ending 12 March (the 10th week of the year) was "605 fewer than week 9" and "511 fewer than the five-year average for week 10." https://twitter.com/ONS/status/1374293419997151232 However, the total number of deaths that have been registered between the 11th week of March in 2020 and the 10th week of March this year stands at 651,310, which is over 120,000 above the average number of yearly deaths, it has been revealed. Head of Mortality Analysis at the ONS said on Twitter: "Today's release means we have a year of COVID death registrations (Week 11 2020 to Week 10 2021). In that time there have been 651,310 deaths registered in England and Wales, 120,181 above average. 135,808 (20.9%) mentioned COVID-19." https://twitter.com/SarahCaul_ONS/status/1374316204656050178 According to the ONS: "The total number of deaths involving COVID-19 in England and Wales has passed 135,000 (135,808 registrations up to 12 March 2021)." Almost 75% of all coronavirus-related deaths have occurred in people aged 75 or over, according to the ONS. The statistics comes one year after the first national lockdown came into force on 23 March 2021. The percentage of people testing positive for Covid-19 has continued to fall in the week ending 13 March 2021, with 160,200 people testing positive for the virus, which is down from 200,600 people the previous week, the ONS reported.