Covid: Deaths involving virus pass 11,000 mark in Wales

A memorial tribute to Covid deaths in Rhondda Cynon Taf, the worst area for mortality in Wales

The total number of deaths involving Covid has now passed the 11,000 mark in Wales.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the number where Covid was a factor rose to 44 in the week ending 4 November, the highest weekly total since the end of July.

But Covid deaths over the past three months are running at about 40% of the numbers in the same period last year.

Deaths from all causes have been above normal for 16 of the past 17 weeks.

There have been more than 1,000 so-called "excess" deaths from all causes in Wales - above what we might expect to see in the years before Covid - since July. Of these, 447 do not involve Covid.

There have been suggestions that there could be several reasons for this - from people becoming less healthy during the pandemic, to not seeking or waiting longer for medical help for health issues.

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Covid accounted for 6.2% of all deaths in Wales in the latest week, more than the proportion in England (5.5%).

In nearly two-thirds of deaths involving Covid in the latest week it was also the underlying cause of death - so the death can be said to be due to Covid.

Across Wales and England, 85% of Covid deaths in the latest week involved those aged over 70.

Deaths due to Covid have also exceeded deaths due to flu and pneumonia for the past four weeks.

Which areas have been worst hit?

The number of deaths involving Covid - in which it was mentioned on the death certificate as a contributory factor - is 11,029 in Wales, since March 2020.

Rhondda Cynon Taf has seen the most deaths at a county level - 1,138 involving Covid have occurred up to 4 November, with six registered deaths involving Covid in the latest week.

RCT also has the highest mortality rate over the course of the pandemic in Wales - and also has the eighth highest crude mortality rate (478.8 deaths per 100,000) of all local authorities across England and Wales.

Merthyr Tydfil (474.5 deaths per 100,000) was the ninth highest and Bridgend 15th (457 deaths per 100,000).

Conservative health spokesman Russell George MS repeated his party's call for a "badly needed" Welsh-specific inquiry into the pandemic, to ensure that we "limit the spread of viruses like this in future and get the answers people deserve".

He added: "It is tragic that coronavirus continues to take a toll on our society with every one of those 11,000 being an individual who leaves behind family and friends who cared for them and will miss them."

Infections falling again

The latest registered deaths follow a period in early October when Covid infections in the community were estimated to have increased.

But now infections are falling again, while those in hospital being primarily treated for the virus remain at low levels.

The latest ONS estimates are that one in 40 people - or 72,400 - are estimated to have had Covid in the latest week.

This is 2.38% of the population.

The latest so-called R-number - or reproduction number - which estimates the spread of infection is also going down.

Meanwhile, Covid vaccine autumn boosters have now reached 80% of care home residents and 69% of the over 65s, according to Public Health Wales figures.

Wales has reached proportionately more of key groups with autumn boosters than England, although numbers are down on earlier phases of the programme and weekly numbers are down by a third on a month ago.