GRIM TALLY

England had highest excess deaths in Europe during coronavirus pandemic, new figures show

Brittany Vonow

Published: 9:46, 30 Jul 2020
Updated: 22:03, 30 Jul 2020

ENGLAND had the highest number of excess deaths in Europe during the coronavirus pandemic, new figures released today have shown.

Although Spain had the biggest spike in excess mortality - deaths from all causes, not just coronavirus, above the five year average - England has had the longest continuous period with more deaths than usual.

⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

Although Spain had a higher peak of excess deaths, England's total during the pandemic was higher

An interactive map by the Office for National Statistics shows the number of excess deaths across Europe and enables users to search by their local area.

By comparing excess death data, it avoids problems of different countries recording Covid-19 deaths in different ways and also takes into account the indirect impact of the pandemic, such as deaths from other causes that might be related to delayed access to healthcare.

Central Spain and Northern Italy were the worst hit regions in Europe - but England had the highest level of excess deaths of any country in the first half of this year.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were also some of the nine nations that reported an increase in deaths.

This week, the ONS revealed there had been 51,454 excess deaths in England this year compared to the five-year average.

Meanwhile, Spain's National Statistics Institute registered 44,000 excess deaths in first five months of this year compared to 2019. Italy recorded 44,866 excess deaths between February 24 and May 9.

At the height of the pandemic, the Government said excess deaths were the best way to compare countries' performance.

Key findings include:

The regions with the highest excess mortality rates were central Spain and Northern Italy
An interactive map has revealed how each region in the UK has been impacted by excess deaths
Brent, in North-West London, recorded the highest excess mortality rate of local authorities in the UK of 357.5 per cent
Birmingham had the highest peak excess mortality of any major British city at 249.7%
England had the highest excess mortality rate out of the four UK nations
Excess deaths in England peaked between February 21 and June 12 - second only to Spain
England had the 'longest continuous period of excess mortality' of any other country

By the week ending May 29, the cumulative mortality rate in England was 7.55% higher than the average mortality rate in 2015 to 2019.

Spain ranked second at 6.65%, followed by Scotland (5.11%), Belgium (3.89%) and Wales (2.78%).

But Boris Johnson today said England had been a "massive success" in reducing the numbers of fatalities.

The new figures revealed that out of all major cities, Madrid was the worst hit across Europe - recording an excess mortality rate of 432.7 per cent.

In the UK, Birmingham recorded the highest peak of any major British city with an excess mortality rate of 249.7 per cent. It was then followed by London and Manchester.

Worst affected regions in the UK by excess death

Brent

Enfield

Ealing

Thurrock

Hackney and Newham

Lewisham and Southwark

Tower Hamlets

Barnet Merton, Kingston upon Thames and Sutton

Birmingham

Harrow and Hillingdon

Redbridge and Waltham Forest

Wandsworth

Haringey and Islington

Lambeth

Croydon

Bexley and Greenwich West

Essex (Epping Forest, Harlow and Uttlesford)

Luton

Westminster

Edward Morgan, Health Analysis and Life Events, Office for National Statistics, said: "Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the first half of 2020 saw extraordinary increases in mortality rates across countries in Western Europe above the 2015 to 2019 average.

"The highest peak excess mortality at national level was in Spain, with some local areas in Northern Italy and Central Spain having excess mortality levels as high as 847.7% of the average.

"While none of the four UK nations had a peak mortality level as high as Spain or the worst-hit local areas of Spain and Italy, excess mortality was geographically widespread throughout the UK during the pandemic, whereas it was more geographically localised in most countries of Western Europe.

"Combined with the relatively slow downward ‘tail’ of the pandemic in the UK, this meant that by the end of May, England had seen the highest overall relative excess mortality out of all the European countries compared."

And while countries in Europe like Spain and Italy had localised breakouts, almost all areas of the UK saw an increase in excess deaths.

The new figures come amid fears of a second wave of coronavirus - with Health Secretary Matt Hancock warning the virus could again be "starting to roll across Europe".

Anyone coming back to the UK from Spain must now quarantine for two weeks after a recent spike in cases.