General Insurance Article - CMI notes deaths remain 50 percent higher than normal

 The latest update covers week 4 of 2021 (23 to 29 January) based on provisional England & Wales deaths data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on 9 February 2021.

 The key points of this update are:
 • The number of deaths registered in England & Wales in week 4 of 2021 was 6,324 higher than if mortality rates had been the same as in week 4 of 2019; equivalent to 52% more deaths than expected. The corresponding figure for week 3 was also 52% more deaths than expected.
 
 • There have been around 98,700 more deaths than expected in the UK from the start of the pandemic to 29 January 2021. Of these, 37,900 have occurred in the second wave.
 
 • The number of deaths with COVID-19 mentioned on the death certificate was 8,433 in week 4 of 2021, compared to 8,422 in week 3 of 2021.

 Cobus Daneel, Chair of the CMI Mortality Projections Committee said: “Excess deaths remain high. In weeks 3 and 4 of 2021, death rates were more than 50% higher than we would usually expect to see at this time of year, despite deaths from other causes being about 10% lower than normal during the second wave.”

 All mortality monitor weekly updates are publicly available on the mortality monitor page.