11 May 2021
During the coronavirus pandemic, the Continuous Mortality Investigation (CMI) is publishing frequent UK mortality analysis through its mortality monitor. The latest update covers week 17 of 2021 (24 April to 30 April) based on provisional England & Wales deaths data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on 11 May 2021.
The key points of this update are:
- The number of deaths registered in England & Wales in week 17 of 2021 was 698 lower than if mortality rates had been the same as in week 17 of 2019; equivalent to 7% fewer deaths than expected. Over the four weeks from week 14 to week 17, there have been on average 4% fewer deaths than expected.
- There have been around 105,600 more deaths than expected in the UK from the start of the pandemic to 30 April 2021. Of these, 32,600 have occurred in 2021.
- The number of deaths with COVID-19 mentioned on the death certificate was 205 in week 17 of 2021, compared to 260 in week 16 of 2021.
- People living in more deprived areas have seen a bigger increase in absolute mortality due to the pandemic compared to those in less deprived areas.
- However, people living in more deprived areas generally experience heavier mortality. Compared to pre-pandemic expectations, there was a broadly similar relative increase in mortality during the pandemic across the socio-economic spectrum.
Cobus Daneel, Chair of the CMI Mortality Projections Committee, said:
“COVID-19 deaths have fallen by 95% in the last ten weeks. We’ve also seen fewer deaths from other causes, meaning that mortality rates are at historically low levels for the time of year.”
We define “excess” deaths as the difference between actual deaths in a week, and those that we would have expected if mortality rates had been the same as in the corresponding week of 2019. We use 2019 as the most recent “normal” year of mortality observed, as mortality in the first 12 weeks of 2019 and 2020 were similar.
For the purposes of the mortality monitor, the CMI treats the pandemic as being deaths registered from week 10 of 2020 onwards (i.e. from 29 February 2020).
Now that excess deaths are relatively low, the CMI will publish two types of pandemic mortality monitor:
• A weekly “summary” without a press release. The next is planned for week 18 of 2021 on Tuesday 18 May 2021.
• A more detailed version, with a press release, every four or five weeks. The next is planned for week 21 of 2021 on Tuesday 8 June 2021.
All mortality monitor weekly updates are publicly available on the mortality monitor page.