Excess deaths to top 80,000

EXTRA deaths during the pandemic could pass 80,000 by the New Year, experts have warned.

The Office for National Statistics found 71,000 excess deaths above what would be expected compared to the five-year average.

This is seen as an estimate of deaths from Covid as well as those indirectly caused by the pandemic.

Those mentioning the virus on death certificates fell 7% to 2,835 in the week to December 4 for the first time since September.

Veena Raleigh, fellow at the respected King’s Fund think-tank, said: “The death statistics for this year are truly sobering. If trends continue, the total excess death toll for 2020 could exceed 80,000.”