The coronavirus death toll is growing every day with the rate of coronavirus patients in hospitals jumping by 22 percent in just a week to its highest level ever. NHS England chief Sir Simon Stevens has warned the Covid crisis is now “out of control”, and Health Secretary Matt Hancock today warned the new Covid-19 variant is putting the NHS under severe pressure. Mr Hancock warned Britons to stick to lockdown rules and said death rates remain “stubbornly high” but where in England has the worst death rates right now?
On Monday, Mr Hancock said the average number of deaths reported each day for the past week is 926.
Since the coronavirus outbreak began the UK has confirmed 82,624 deaths with Covid-19 on the death certificate.
Of these cases, 3,270 were reported weekly.
There were 563 deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test as of January 11.
In total, there have been 81,431 deaths within 28 days of a positive test in the UK.
In the last seven days, there have been 6,363 deaths within 28 days of a positive test, which has risen by 2,091 cases compared to the week before.
The current rate equates to 7.3 per 100,000 people.
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The UK coronavirus death toll has risen by 524 today.
NHS England reported a further 489 Covid-19 hospital deaths, with Scotland reporting one new death and both Wales and Northern Ireland recording 17 new deaths.
The latest figures come as 2.4million people have so far received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine and as England’s chief medical officer warned “the worst” of the pandemic will be the next few weeks for the NHS.
He told the BBC: “I don’t think we’re yet at the peak, I’m afraid.
“I think we will be at the peak if everybody can double down and absolutely minimise their contacts.
“The point of the lockdown is to bring that forward, but it only works if everyone really thinks about every individual interaction they have and try and minimise them.”
The data also revealed the following age groups have been hardest hit by fatalities as a result of Covid-19:
- 80 and above: 249 deaths
- 60 to 79: 205 deaths
- 40 to 59: 31 deaths
- 20 to 39: Four deaths
- 0 to 19: Zero deaths.
The Health Secretary said 88 percent of deaths have occurred in people in the top four vaccination priority groups.
These individuals are due to be offered the vaccine by February 15.
Mr Hancock said deaths should begin to fall after this point.
He added younger people can still die from coronavirus and people in their 60s make up a significant proportion of hospital admissions.
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Speaking from Downing Street, the NHS England chief Sir Simon Stevens warned the Covid crisis is now “out of control”.
He said: “A quarter of Covid admissions to hospital right now are for people aged under 55.
“So this is something that we all have to take extremely seriously.”
