NORTH-SOUTH COVID DIVIDE
■ AS DEATH RATE PLUNGES IN THE CAPITAL, THE REGIONS LAG BEHIND ■ NEXT GOVERNMENT REVIEW OF LOCKDOWN PUT BACK TO JUNE 25
A NORTH-SOUTH Covid-19 divide is widening, with fatalities and new infections far more common in some regions than in London.
The virus death rate is continuing to come down nationwide – with latest figures showing it dropped a third in the week to May 22. But research shows new infections are nearly twice as widespread in Yorkshire and the north-east than in London, with the north-west also seeing far more cases.
The number of deaths from all causes in the north-east was 41 per cent above average during the week to May 22, compared with 24 per cent in the capital.
Amid fears that lockdown easing will increase the R rate – how fast the virus spreads – the government appears unlikely to allow any more relaxation until at least June 25. The length of time the rules can stay in place without review will be extended by a week from 21 days to 28, health secretary Matt Hancock told MPs, adding: ‘This will allow
the period of time necessary to assess the impact of previous changes on key data including the R rate.’
The official virus death toll – which only includes victims who had tested positive – has risen by 4 to 9, 69.
And the true tally is likely to have passed 50,000, according to figures that also include cases where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.
However, the overall increase in virus deaths in the week to May was ,87 , down by a third on the previous seven days and the lowest number since the start of April, the Office for National Statistics said.
Meanwhile, scientists behind a virus app – used by .7million people to report symptoms – said the daily infection rate was now about 5 per million in Yorkshire and the northeast. That compares with 15 in the north-west and 1 4 in the capital, said the King’s College London team.
They also calculate that 11,700 people a day are contracting the disease nationwide, compared with the government’s latest daily count of 1,61 . Local lockdowns could be used to deal with regional spikes, Mr Hancock confirmed.
And Dr Tim Spector, who is leading the research, said the pandemic is at a ‘pivotal point’. Addressing the regional divide, he said: ‘Infection rates in London dropped quite a lot before slightly flattening out.
‘The weather could be a factor. There’s some evidence that infections are less in hot and dry areas or because people are staying indoors. If there are two or three-fold differences that should change the keenness to open up schools or restaurants.’
Deaths from all causes were 6 ,000 higher than normal from the start of the year to May , with only 48,896 linked directly to Covid-19.
There are fears that thousands have lost their lives to the virus without it being mentioned as a cause, or died of other illnesses because the crisis has made it harder to access treatment.
‘If we can believe the data from other countries, then the UK has done badly in terms of excess deaths,’ said statistician Prof David Spiegelhalter, of Cambridge University.