Coronavirus: Deaths at lowest level since March - BBC News

The number of people dying each week linked to coronavirus has dropped to its lowest levels in the UK since March, figures show.

Overall there were 13,800 deaths in that week - 2,500 more than normal at this time of the year.

Overall, there have been 190,000 deaths during the pandemic - nearly 62,000 above what would be expected.

This is known as the excess death rate and is said to be the best guide to the impact of the virus as it takes into account deaths linked to infections and indirect deaths that maybe related to the lockdown from factors such as lack of access to care for other conditions and mental health problems?

Nick Stripe, of the Office for National Statistics, which compiles the data for England and Wales, said despite the number of overall deaths falling, we were effectively seeing the same number of deaths we would expect to see in winter

Dr Jennifer Dixon, chief executive at the Health Foundation think tank, said the reduction in deaths was positive, but the figures were still a "sobering reminder" of the impact the virus has had