Weekly coronavirus deaths increased 40% in a week

The number of people dying from coronavirus in England and Wales has soared to the highest figures seen since mid-May, new data reveals.

Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificates of 1,937 people in the week ending Nov. 6, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This is a jump of 558 in the previous seven days of 1,379 deaths, an increase of 40.5%. It is the highest number seen since the week ending May 22, during the peak of the outbreak.

This brings the total number of people who have died from the virus in England and Wales since the start of the pandemic to 59,473.

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According to Johns Hopkins University, the UK currently has the fifth highest death toll in the world and the highest in Europe.

The latest data from the ONS shows that coronavirus-related deaths increased week-by-week in all regions of England in the week to November 6.

Northwest England had the highest numbers in the country and recorded 568 Covid-19-related deaths that same week, the highest number for the region since the week ending May 15.

Yorkshire and the Humber also posted their highest numbers since that same week, recording 329 coronavirus-related deaths.

In northeast England, 152 deaths from Covid-19 were recorded, the highest from the week to May 22.

When all causes of death are taken into account, 11,812 people died in the first week of November, 1,481 more than the five-year average.

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