The highest total of weekly coronavirus-related deaths has been recorded in the UK since March, latest figures show. There were 652 deaths registered in the week ending on 13 August, according to the Office for National Statistics – an increase of 6.7% on the previous week.
This is the highest number since 800 fatalities involving COVID-19 were registered in the week to 26 March. The ONS said the latest total includes 550 deaths in England, 41 in Scotland, 40 in Northern Ireland and 19 in Wales.
The combined figure for England and Wales was also at its highest since late March. There were 571 coronavirus-related deaths registered in England and Wales during the week ending on 13 August – an increase of 8% on the previous week. This is the highest total since 719 fatalities were recorded in the week to 26 March.
In England and Wales, about 5.5% – one in 18 – of all deaths registered in the week ending on 13 August mentioned COVID-19 on the death certificate. There have been a total of 156,958 deaths with COVID-19 on the death certificate in the UK. The highest number on a single day was 1,484 on 19 January, while it peaked at 1,461 during the first wave in 2020.
In England and Wales, figures show 57 care home residents died with COVID-19 mentioned on their death certificate in the week to 13 August, taking the total to 42,805. The ONS data applies to deaths of care home residents in all settings, not just in care homes.
These figures all relate to fatalities where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate as one of the causes. The ONS also said the number of weekly deaths from all causes in the UK was 11,793, which was 1,423 more than the five-year average. The figure was 10,372 in England and Wales – 14% above the average, or 1,270 more deaths.
The government also publishes a daily update showing the number of people who have died within 28 days of their first positive coronavirus test, which produces different totals.