Covid deaths in Devon and Cornwall fall to lowest level for six weeks
It is thought the reduction may be down to the results of the second lockdown and delay in registration over the festive period
The number of deaths registered across Devon and Cornwall where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate has fallen to the lowest level for six weeks.
The figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) which relate to the week of December 19 to December 25, but registered up to January 2, show that 27 of the 285 deaths registered in the two counties had Covid-19 mentioned on the death certificate.
The previous week saw 43 of the 402 deaths registered in the two counties had Covid-19 mentioned on the death certificate.
The reduction in the number of deaths may be a combination as a result of the second lockdown, due to the time lag between infection and death, but also could be a result of registration delays over the Christmas holiday period.
A further four deaths from the week of December 12-18, and one death from the week of November 21-27 have also been backdated into the data this week.
Of the 27 deaths registered in week 52 (Dec 19-25), there were 11 deaths of people from East Devon, four in Cornwall, three in Mid Devon, two in Teignbridge and Torridge, one in Plymouth, Torbay, Exeter, North Devon and West Devon. There were no deaths from Covid-19 in South Hams or the Isles of Scilly registered.
Eighteen of the deaths occurred in hospitals, with five in a care home, two in ‘a communal establishment’, one at home, and one ‘elsewhere’
The deaths were:
- One death of someone from Exeter in hospital
- Two deaths of someone from Mid Devon in hospital and one in a care home
- One death of someone from North Devon in hospital
- Two deaths of someone from Teignbridge in hospital
- One death of someone from Torridge in hospital and one death in a care home
- One death of someone from West Devon in hospital
A further four deaths from week 51 – hospital deaths of people from Cornwall and Mid Devon, in a care home in East Devon, and at home in West Devon – and one in week 48, of a person from Plymouth in hospital – has also been added.
The Isles of Scilly has still yet to see a Covid-19 related death, while South Hams, has gone two weeks without a death.
Previous weeks have seen 47, 52, 41, 43, 37, 24, 11, 13, 15, 6, 5, 2, 0, 3, 1, 2, 0, 1, 2, 1, 0, 1, 1, 2, 2, 5, 1, 7, 10, 11, 15, 38, 44, 70, 85, 107, 90, 60, 16 and nine deaths registered.
In total, 910 deaths from coronavirus have been registered across Devon and Cornwall, with 537 in hospitals, 299 in care homes, 64 at home, one in a hospice, seven in a communal establishment and two ‘elsewhere’.
Other communal establishments, as defined by the ONS, include defence bases, educational premises, prisons (including probation/bail hostel, prisons, detention centres and other detention), hotels, hostels, travel and temporary accommodation (including B&Bs, temporary shelter for homeless and holiday parks), and religious premises.
The ONS define elsewhere as all places not covered by the other definitions, such as deaths on a motorway, at the beach, climbing a mountain, walking down the street, at the cinema, at a football match, while out shopping or in someone else’s home.
Of the deaths, 254 have been registered in Cornwall, 137 in Plymouth, 109 in East Devon 107 in Torbay, 67 in Exeter, 57 in Teignbridge, 51 in North Devon, 42 in Mid Devon, 35 in Torridge, 27 in West Devon, 24 in the South Hams and none on the Isles of Scilly.
The figures show in which local authority the deceased’s usual place of residence was. For instance, if someone may have died in Derriford Hospital but lived in West Devon, while the death may have been registered in Plymouth, their death would be recorded in the mortality statistics for the ONS figures against West Devon.
Deaths that have occurred in hospitals following a positive coronavirus test since December 25 will be recorded in next week’s figures, as long as the deceased lived within Devon and Cornwall, the death has been registered, and Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.