A deadly WINTER
THE NUMBER OF EXCESS WINTER DEATHS HAS SOARED
THE number of excess winter deaths in England and Wales has reached a 41-year high.
New figures from the Office for National Statistics show that there were 50,100 excess winter deaths in 2017/18.
The figure was last higher in 1975/76, when there were 58,100 excess winter deaths.
The Office for National Statistics treats winter as the period between December to March and compares deaths in this period with the average number that occurred during the rest of the year.
The 50,100 deaths in the winter of 2017/18 means mortality was 30% higher than the rest of the year.
The number is also a 45% increase on the previous year (34,530) and more than double the 24,580 seen in 2015/16.
There were also regional variations in excess winter deaths.
London saw just 27% more deaths in winter than in the rest of the year in 2017/18 - the lowest regional increase.
Wales, meanwhile, had the highest, with a 33% increase in deaths over the four month period.
There are a number of reasons that could explain the rise.
Winter temperatures in 2017/18 were far colder than average in three of the four months.
On top of this, the Beast from the East brought a particularly cold spell at the end of February.
Illnesses also played their part, as a difficult strain of influenza came at the same time as reduced vaccine effectiveness in pensioners.
Over all, more than a third of excess winter deaths in England and Wales were caused by respiratory diseases, 40% of which were due to pneumonia specifically.
While the excess winter mortality rate in those aged under 65 had doubled compared to the previous year, women aged over 85 were still the most likely to die - accounting for 36% of excess winter mortality deaths in 2017/18.
Caroline Abrahams charity director of Age UK, said: “These distressing figures are now the highest we’ve seen in over 40 years.
“A toxic cocktail of poor housing, high energy prices and ill health can make winter a dangerous time for many older people, and tragically it is the oldest old and those who are the most vulnerable who particularly suffer the consequences. “We know such high levels of excess winter deaths are not inevitable. “As a country we are not doing enough to ensure our older population stays warm and well throughout the harsh winter months.”