Manchester University research indicates that more deaths may be Covid related than thought

Manchester University researchers say there may be more Covid 19 deaths than thought Credit: PA

Research by Manchester based scientists indicates that almost ten thousand deaths in the first nine weeks of the pandemic may have been linked to the virus but not recorded as Covid 19 related.

Early results from a study led by University of Manchester data scientists has shown that of the 47,243 excess deaths in England and Wales in the period, 9,948 – over a fifth – were not recorded as COVID-19 related.

The excess deaths were mainly in older people and in many cases likely to be directly linked to COVID-19 despite not being diagnosed as such.

The team also found that the excess deaths also include those driven by the inability or reluctance of people to access health services for other health needs.

Researchers used Office for National Statistics weekly mortality data, and in addition concluded that although many more male deaths have been linked to COVID-19, female non-COVID-19 excess deaths showed a similar pattern, with female deaths outnumbering male deaths in the most vulnerable 85+ age group. They say that COVID-19 deaths in women may, therefore, have been underreported.