It’s been a deadly start to the year, statistics reveal

Deaths in England and Wales were 30 per cent higher than expected in the first week of January, with nearly 3,500 more deaths registered than normal, statistics show.

Latest data from the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries show that the festive season and New Year has been unusually deadly, with more than 7,000 excess deaths in the three weeks between Dec 17 and Jan 6.

Heart attack victims waited an average of 90 minutes for an ambulance last month – the worst waiting times on record.

The Christmas period also saw increases in Covid, flu and other respiratory viruses.