UK Covid deaths surpass 100,000

The UK has one of the highest Covid death rates globally.

The number of Covid deaths in the UK has now exceeded 100,000. There have been almost 104,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

UK Covid deaths exceed 100,000

The statistics, which run until 15 January, are based on death certificates.

The government’s daily figures, which are based on positive Covid tests, are slightly lower. The UK has one of the highest Covid death rates globally.

The Office for National Statistics and its counterparts in Scotland and Northern Ireland registered 7,776 deaths with Covid cited on the death certificate in the latest recorded week.

This total is the third highest week of the Covid pandemic.

Last April, there were two weeks with more than 9,000 Covid deaths registered across the UK but every other week there were no more than 7,000 recorded deaths.

Approximately, 9 in 10 death certificates cite Covid as the cause of death. The vast majority of deaths have been of the elderly – nearly 75% of those who have died with the virus were over 75. A third of the deaths were of care home residents.

Chris Hopson, from the group NHS Providers which represents health service managers, said:

“Behind each death will be a story of sorrow and grief. We pay tribute, once again, to NHS and care staff who have done everything they can throughout the long months of this pandemic to avoid each one of these deaths and reduce patient harm. We won’t know the true impact of Covid-19 for a long time to come because of its long-term effects. But, as well as the high death rate, it’s particularly concerning that this virus has widened health inequalities and affected black, Asian and minority-ethnic communities disproportionately.”