Official Covid deaths lowest for six months as Easter slows registrations – ONS

The number of registered deaths involving coronavirus in England and Wales has fallen to the lowest level in six months, with the Easter break affecting numbers, figures show.

There were 400 deaths registered in the week ending April 2 where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

This is the lowest number since the week ending October 2 and down 44% on the previous seven days.

The ONS said the number of registrations was affected by the Good Friday Bank Holiday on April 2.

Around one in 20 (4.9%) of all deaths registered in England and Wales over the seven days mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate.

The number of registered care home resident deaths involving Covid-19 dropped below 100 for the first time since the week ending October 15.

There were 86 care home resident deaths involving coronavirus registered in England and Wales in the week to April 2, down 43% on the previous week.

A total of 42,189 care home residents in England and Wales have now had Covid-19 recorded on their death certificate since the pandemic began.

The ONS figures cover deaths of care home residents in all settings, not just in care homes.

Deaths involving Covid-19 have fallen by 94.0% since the second wave peak, the figures show.

Some 532 deaths involving Covid-19 occurred in the week ending March 26, down from 8,948 deaths in the week ending January 22.

The overall number of registered deaths was below the five-year average for the fourth consecutive week, the ONS said.

Some 8,201 deaths were registered in the week to April 2, 19.0% below the average for the corresponding period in 2015-19.

Prior to the four most recent weeks, the last time deaths had been below average was in the week to September 4 2020.

A total of 151,313 deaths have now occurred in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, the ONS said.