Excess deaths mystery 'needs solving urgently'

CLARITY on the high number of post-pandemic excess deaths is needed sooner rather than later”, the Office for National Statistics says.

- Lucy Johnston

Analysis of excess non-Covid deaths over the past year suggests heart attacks, heart disease, diabetes and liver failure are the main causes.

The report by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities was released last week. But the reasons why death rates remain higher than normal are still unknown.

The ONS has launched a cross-UK initiative” to examine the issue of excess deaths and how they are recorded.

It said: We are aware of the importance of the topic and need for clarity sooner rather than later.”

However, it warned: This work is not straightforward, but we are confident that we can deliver improved insight on excess deaths.”

The Government report compared registered deaths since 2022 with the number of expected deaths based on the previous five-year average.