Covid deaths remain low in Wales

There were two deaths in Swansea but not in 18 other local authority areas

There were Covid deaths in only four local authority areas in Wales, latest weekly figures show.

The number of deaths involving Covid-19 was six in the week up to 14 May, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This is up from five registered in the previous week but the figures in this period are the lowest we have seen since early September.

These accounted for 0.9% of all deaths.

The trend has been for a steady decline and is 88% fewer Covid deaths than registered two months ago.

During the latest week, up to 14 May, there were no deaths in 18 out of Wales' local authority areas, including across the Aneurin Bevan, Cardiff and Vale, Hywel Dda and Powys health board areas.

When broken down by local authority area, there were two deaths in Swansea hospitals, two deaths in Bridgend - in a hospital and at home - and also a hospital death involving a Flintshire resident and another involving a Rhondda Cynon Taf care home resident.

What about 'excess deaths'?

So-called excess deaths, which compare all registered deaths from all causes with previous years, were 28 deaths (4.6%) above the five-year average, after being below normal for 10 successive weeks.

Looking at the number of deaths we would normally expect to see at particular periods of a typical year is seen as a good measure of the pandemic.

The number of deaths from all causes in Wales rose to 640 in the week ending 14 May. The ONS urged caution in interpretation because the Early May Bank Holiday may have affected registrations.

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All nations and regions of the UK saw above average deaths, with the West Midlands the highest proportion of excess deaths.

When looking across the course of the pandemic so far, there have been 44,826 deaths from all causes in Wales, 7,878 (17.6%) mentioning Covid-19 on the death certificate. This was 5,529 deaths above the five-year average.

When deaths occurring up to 14 May but counting later registrations are included, the total number of deaths involving Covid rises to 7,880.

Why do we we look at both ONS and Public Health Wales figures?

Public Health Wales gives a daily snapshot of deaths being reported to it by health boards. This only includes deaths in hospitals and in some care homes but it only counts people who have tested positive for Covid.

Currently, there is a daily average of one death a day in Wales, by this measure.

The ONS figures take a few weeks to compile because they look at death certificates, signed by doctors and registered by families.

But they are regarded as giving the more complete picture.

As well as all hospital and care home deaths, they also include deaths in people's homes, hospices and other community settings.

Doctors include Covid when they believe in their medical opinion it was suspected or confirmed and that it was a contributory cause of death.

Across England and Wales, Covid was the underlying cause of death in 71% of cases when it was mentioned on the death certificate in the latest week, so we can say the death was due to Covid.