Effects of lockdown could be causing more deaths than ‘Covid’: Fears rise over silent health crisis as ONS records nearly 10,000 more deaths than the five-year average – none of which are linked to the ‘virus’ – in the last two months

The effects of lockdown could be causing more deaths than Covid as nearly 10,000 more deaths than the five-year average are recorded, ONS data has found.

Released on Tuesday, the Office for National Statistics’ figures for excess deaths in the UK has revealed that about 1,000 more people than usual are dying each week from illnesses and conditions other than Covid.

This makes the rate for excess deaths 14.4 per cent higher than the five-year average, meaning 1,350 more people have died than usual in the week ending 5 August.

Covid-related deaths made up for 469 of them, but the remaining 881 have ‘not been explained’. Since the start of June, nearly 10,000 more deaths unrelated to Covid have been recorded than the five-year average, making up around 1,089 per week.

This figure is over three times the number of people who died from Covid, 2,811, over the same period.

ONS analysis takes into consideration the ageing population changes, yet still found a ‘substantial ongoing excess’.

Read more: Effects of lockdown could be causing more deaths than ‘Covid’: Fears rise over silent health crisis as ONS records nearly 10,000 more deaths than the five-year average – none of which are linked to the ‘virus’ – in the last two months