02-23-2021, 10:11 AM
Week 6 (to 12th Feb) figures for deaths are now published and we are still showing a large increase on the 5YA figures (3,429) but a lower increase that it has been. There were 15,354 deaths in total in E&W in the week compared with the 5YA figure of 11,925. Sadly this means that there have been just short of 110k more deaths than normal in the past 47 weeks (since covid 1st appeared) and included in that 40k more that normal since the start of December. And just to pat some perspective, if we had taken the worst equivalent week from any of the last decade the total deaths for the 1st 6 weeks of the year would have been 83k, we stand above 105k for 2021 so far.
Overall though the increase in the number of deaths as a % is falling to just less than 30% more than normal compared with 45% above normal a couple of weeks ago.
The obvious good news is that the vaccinations are appearing effective and that should start to reflect itself in the death figures soon. Hospitalisations are just over 14k at the moment compared with the peak of 33k on the 20th Jan and some good news there is that they numbers appear to be falling at a slightly faster rate than the 1st wave. This IMO is a time that we need to be patient, it is very tempting to get carried away and rush into this but the govt have set out a sensible plan which slowly releases parts of the economy allowing us to monitor any changes that occur and attribute it to the relaxation measure just carried out.
Heading in the right direction.
Overall though the increase in the number of deaths as a % is falling to just less than 30% more than normal compared with 45% above normal a couple of weeks ago.
The obvious good news is that the vaccinations are appearing effective and that should start to reflect itself in the death figures soon. Hospitalisations are just over 14k at the moment compared with the peak of 33k on the 20th Jan and some good news there is that they numbers appear to be falling at a slightly faster rate than the 1st wave. This IMO is a time that we need to be patient, it is very tempting to get carried away and rush into this but the govt have set out a sensible plan which slowly releases parts of the economy allowing us to monitor any changes that occur and attribute it to the relaxation measure just carried out.
Heading in the right direction.