UK no longer has the highest excess mortality in Europe

The UK death rate during the second wave of the pandemic was not the worst in Europe.

By the end of June 2020, the UK had the highest excess mortality in Europe, according to figures from the ONS.

But by December it had been overtaken by Poland, Spain, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Slovenia.

Nevertheless, the UK had one of the highest excess death rates among people under the age of 65 in 2020 at 7.7%.

Excess mortality is the number of deaths by any cause that happen over and above the average for that time of year.

The UK saw 7% more deaths than normally expected during 2020. Within the UK, England’s death rate was 8% above expected levels across the whole year, Scotland’s was 6%, Northern Ireland 5% and Wales 4%.

The Office for National Statistics figures cover up to 18 December so do not include deaths from this year when the UK and the rest of Europe experienced a third wave of coronavirus, leading to thousands of Covid-19 deaths.

Only Bulgaria recorded a higher rate for under-65s – 12.3% – among the countries analysed by the ONS.

Dr Annie Campbell, from the ONS, said the figures showed the pandemic had not “exclusively” affected the oldest age groups in the UK.

For deaths among all age groups Poland ended 2020 with the highest rate (11.6% above the five-year average), followed by Spain (10.6%) and Belgium (9.7%).

England ranked seventh on this list (7.8%) with the UK eighth (7.2%).

All-cause mortality allows countries to be compared more easily, even if they record Covid-19 deaths in different ways. It also reflects the indirect impact of the pandemic, such as deaths from other causes that might be related to delayed access to treatment.

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