Covid deaths fall for sixth successive week in Wales

There were 12 deaths in the Aneurin Bevan health board, the lowest number since 23 October

The number of deaths involving Covid-19 in Wales has fallen for the sixth successive week but the total during the pandemic has risen above 7,500.

There were 138 deaths involving the virus, accounting for 18.2% of all deaths, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This was the lowest weekly total since the end of October.

This - and the number of Covid deaths in care homes - are the lowest weekly totals seen since the end of October.

There were 41 fewer deaths than registered in the previous week.

But Cardiff and Vale and Swansea Bay health board areas both saw a rise in deaths over the week.

What is the picture across Wales?

There were 36 deaths across Cardiff and Vale, including 32 in hospital.

There were 27 deaths in north Wales but this was the lowest number since the start of the year.

Broken down by local authority area, there were 23 hospital deaths in Cardiff and nine in the Vale of Glamorgan.

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There were also 10 hospital deaths and four involving care home residents in Carmarthenshire, among 22 deaths across the Hywel Dda health board area.

There were 12 deaths in the Aneurin Bevan health board, the lowest number since 23 October.

Swansea Bay saw 17 deaths, three more than the week before.

The weekly deaths among care home residents fell to 22 in Wales.

Deaths overall in care homes across England and Wales fell below the five-year average for the first time since mid-December.

Why do we look at 'excess' deaths?

Looking at the number of deaths from all causes and seeing how this compares with what we might expect to see normally, is being used as a key measure in looking at the impact of the pandemic.

The number of deaths in Wales fell to 759 in the week ending 26 February. This was 35 deaths (or 4.8%) higher than the five-year average.

But it was within the normal average range for this week - which is between 695 and 793 deaths.

The proportion of these so-called "excess" deaths in Wales for the current week is higher in seven regions of England than in Wales.

When looking across the course of the pandemic so far, there have been 38,080 from all causes, 7,546 mentioning Covid-19 on the death certificate. This was 5,447 deaths above the five-year average.

When deaths occurring up to 26 February but counting later registrations are included, the total number of deaths involving Covid rises to 7,592.

Why are there different measures for deaths?

Unlike the daily snapshot of deaths given by Public Health Wales (PHW), ONS looks at death certificates and this takes a little longer to compile.

But it is seen as giving the fuller picture.

This includes deaths where Covid is either confirmed or suspected by a doctor and is included when it is a factor in the death. In around 90% of cases, Covid is the underlying cause and so deaths are due to Covid.

Deaths can take place in all settings, including people's homes and hospices, while PHW reports mainly hospital and some care home deaths and it only counts deaths in which a positive test result for Covid has come back from a lab.