Updated 5 May 2020 at 20:40 IST
UK registers highest COVID-19 death toll in Europe overtaking Italy: Report
The United Kingdom has overtaken Italy to record a sombre landmark of highest death toll related to COVID-19 in Europe, according to the latest report.
The United Kingdom has overtaken Italy to record a sombre landmark of highest death toll related to COVID-19 in Europe, according to the latest report. UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) released weekly data on deaths occurring up to April 24 and registered up to May 2, adding around 7,000 more fatalities to the number reported by Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), taking the total to 32,313 as of late April.
As per the latest data, only the United States has reported more deaths than Britain which will put even more pressure on Prime Minister Boris Johnson who has been under fire for his handling of the virus outbreak. While the UK leader has been mulling over the easing of restrictions, opposition leader Keir Starmer publicly supported the government for any kind of lockdown extension.
A total of 27,356 deaths involving COVID-19 were registered in England and Wales between December 28, 2019, and April 24, 2020. However, there was a change in how DHSC would report COVID-19 fatalities, directing to include all deaths where a positive test for COVID-19 has been confirmed irrespective of the place instead of reporting only the confirmed COVID-19 deaths in hospitals.
ONS, on its website, said that the data series has been improved by Public Health England (PHE) to include all deaths where a positive test for COVID-19 has been confirmed, wherever the death took place. The improved data series have been reconciled back to March 6, 2020, when the first COVID-19 deaths were notified.
Health Ministry issues caution
UK Health Ministry, in a Twitter thread, cautioned against “extrapolating or estimating figures” based on historic data as it risks being “extremely misleading”.
Read: COVID-19: Britain's 23% Workforce Furloughed Due To Lockdown
(Image: AP)
Published By : Kunal Gaurav
Published On: 5 May 2020 at 20:40 IST