There were around 62,100 more deaths in the UK between the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and the end of last month than during the same period last year, the Continuous Mortality Investigation (CMI) estimates.
This is up from the 61,400 'excess deaths' reported by the CMI last week, with mortality 6% higher between 24 October and 30 October (week 44) in England and Wales than during the corresponding week for 2019.
The increase was also 6% in week 43, and 2% in week 42, with the number of deaths with COVID-19 mentioned on the death certificate increasing from under 100 in week 37, to 1,379 in week 44.
Based on figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the CMI's latest update estimates that the cumulative mortality improvement in England and Wales for 2020 was -10.7% on 30 October, compared to +0.1% on 20 March.
“ONS data shows that mortality continues to be higher than in the same period in 2019, but the rise in excess deaths is much more gradual than during the first wave of the pandemic," said Cobus Daneel, chair of the CMI Mortality Projections Committee.
Owned by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, the CMI has been publishing analysis of the UK's mortality rate during the coronavirus crisis through its mortality monitor.
The latest figures for excess deaths contrast sharply with the figures for weeks 38, 39, 40 and 41, when mortality was slightly lower than expected.
The CMI also revealed last month that the number of deaths in England and Wales between July and September of 2020 was lower than in any other quarter on record.
It intends to publish its next mortality monitor for week 45 on 17 November 2020.
Image credit: iStock
Author: Chris Seekings
