Covid death toll ‘thrice than of flu’
Coronavirus caused three times more deaths than pneumonia and flu combined in the first eight months of this year, according to new figures.
Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures showed there were 48,168 deaths due to COVID-19, 13,619 due to pneumonia and 394 deaths due to influenza in England and Wales between January and August.
Out of all deaths during this period, COVID-19 accounted for 12.4%, whereas 0.1% were due to flu and 3.5% caused by pneumonia.
"Since 1959, which is when ONS monthly death records began, the number of deaths due to influenza and pneumonia in the first eight months of every year have been lower than the number of COVID-19 deaths seen, so far, in 2020," said Sarah Caul, head of mortality analysis at the ONS.
In care homes, which hav...