CORONAVIRUS deaths have fallen for the second week in a row as a new mutant strain continues to spread across the UK, official data has revealed.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that in the week ending December 11, there were 2,756 deaths that mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate.
This is a 2.8 per cent fall on deaths registered the week before – equating to 79 fewer deaths.
The latest report from the ONS states that Covid-10 equated for 22.4 per per cent of all deaths.
Figures from the previous week also fell for the first time in three months after a four week national lockdown – which started in November was lifted.
Overall, 1,542 more deaths were registered during the week ending December 11 compared to the average for this period over the past five years.
The new figures come as a new mutant strain continues to spread across the country and has now also made its way overseas.
The new strain, named VUI 2020/01 has spread to almost all corners of the UK and has now been detected as far away as Australia.
The new strain, thought to be up to 70 per cent more infectious than the original, was first detected in London earlier this month and has now been identified around the world.
France and South Africa now believe that they have cases of the new strain, but this has not yet been confirmed.
REGION BY REGION
Looking specifically at the different regions across the UK and all of the English regions had a higher number of deaths than the five year average.
Despite a fall in the previous week, the North West experienced the largest number of deaths from the coronavirus with 426 recorded.
Graphs provided by the ONS show how deaths caused by the coronavirus have started to drop off in some regions.
In the graph below the red line shows deaths caused by Covid-19, with dips being seen in several areas.
In the South East, London and the West Midlands, a slight increase can be seen.
HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS
The number of deaths in hospitals, care homes and private homes remained above the five-year average.
Deaths involving coronavirus in care homes and hospitals fell slightly, they rose in private homes.
So far in 2020, 48,557 deaths involving Covid-19 occurred in hospital (66.9%); 18,964 in care homes; 3,500 in private homes, 981 in hospices, 287 in other communal establishments and 257 elsewhere.
Graphs provided by the ONS show that at the peak on the pandemic in March, hospital deaths were over 4,000 a day, while deaths are not yet up to these levels, the graph shows that they are coming close to 1,000 a day.
Deaths also seem to have flattened off in care homes with a rise in private homes.
The ONS stated that over 75 per cent of deaths with Covid on the certificate had been in hospital.
The report stated: “Looking in more detail at deaths in private homes in Week 50, males accounted for 452 excess deaths, compared with 405 for females. Overall, 78.3 per cent of the excess deaths in private homes were of those aged 70 years and over (671 excess deaths); this has increased from 74.3% (548 excess deaths) in Week 49.”
Yesterday the government reported that across the UK there have been 33,364 new infections and 215 deaths in the last 24 hours.
This time last week 20,263 cases were recorded alongside 232 deaths.
Showing a worrying rise, two weeks ago 14,718 new cases were reported while 172 deaths were recorded.
The Government states that a total of 2,073,511 cases have now been recorded across the UK with today’s number of daily infections the fourth highest.
