Covid deaths down a quarter in one week to lowest level since start of 2021

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Covid deaths registered in England and Wales dropped 28% in a week to the lowest level since the start of the year, data shows.

The number of deaths mentioning Covid-19 was 4,079 in the week ending February 19, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This was 1,612 fewer deaths than in the previous week.

About 86% of these deaths had Covid-19 recorded as the underlying cause of death.

The proportion of deaths that involved coronavirus has also fallen. Deaths involving Covid-19 accounted for nearly 30% of all deaths in England and Wales, compared with 37% in the previous week.

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Deaths involving Covid-19 among people aged 80 and over have fallen more steeply in recent weeks than among younger people.

Covid deaths for people 80 and over dropped by 56% from the week ending January 29 to the week ending February 19. In comparison, for those aged 70 to 79, the fall was 50%. And for those aged under 70, the fall was 40%.

People aged 80 and over were second on the priority list for Covid vaccines, and they were offered the first jab from early December last year.

There were still excess deaths in the week ending February 19. The number of all deaths registered was 19% above (2,182 more deaths than) the five-year average.

In England, the number of Covid deaths dropped in all regions from one week to the next. The south east recorded the largest decrease of 338 deaths.

In Wales, the number Covid deaths decreased 216.

People with antibodies

With the rollout of the vaccine, the proportion of people with antibodies is rising in the UK.

In England, an estimated one in four people over the age of 16 have antibodies against the coronavirus on a blood test in the 28 days to February 11. This suggests they have had an infection in the past or have been vaccinated.

The highest percentage of people testing positive for antibodies was in those aged 80 and over in England - many of whom will have had the vaccine.

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In Wales and Northern Ireland, an estimated one in six people have antibodies in the 28 days up to February 11. In Scotland, the proportion is estimated to be one in eight.

In all four nations in the UK, the percentage of people with antibodies in the 28 days to January was less than 20%. And throughout the later half of 2020, the percentage of people with antibodies was estimated to be around 10% or less.

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