Nearly five times more people dying of flu and pneumonia than coronavirus

Nearly five times as many people are now dying of flu and pneumonia than with coronavirus in England and Wales, new figures have revealed. Numbers published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show 917 flu and pneumonia deaths were registered for the week ending on July 31. In comparison, 193 people died that week after testing positive for Covid-19 – the lowest weekly level for 19 weeks. Deaths from flu and pneumonia have now outnumbered coronavirus for seven weeks in a row.

Between June 19 and July 31, some 6,626 Britons were killed by flu or pneumonia, compared to 2,992 deaths involving coronavirus. At the height of the pandemic deaths linked to coronavirus far outnumbered those from flu or pneumonia.  But the last time there were more deaths from coronavirus than flu was in the week ending June 12. Some 1,114 people people died that week after testing positive for Covid-19, compared to 996 flu and pneumonia deaths.

Read more: Nearly five times more people dying of flu and pneumonia than coronavirus