Flu, cold weather led to 50,000 extra deaths in Britain last winter: report

Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-01 00:05:15|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video PlayerClose

LONDON, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- The number of extra deaths during Britain's last winter was over 50,000, the highest recorded since 1975, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a report on Friday.

ONS said in the 2017 to 2018 winter period, spanning December to March, there were an estimated 50,100 excess deaths in England and Wales. Over one-third (34.7 percent) of all excess winter deaths were caused by respiratory diseases.

Experts put the increase down to the predominant strain of flu last winter, the ineffectiveness of the flu vaccine in older people and spells of very cold weather.

During the winter months the number of daily deaths exceeded the daily five-year average for all days except on one day, March 25.

ONS said the excess winter mortality index in 2017 to 2018 was significantly higher than all years since winter 1991 to 1992 when the index data series began.

Excess winter deaths significantly increased compared with the previous winter of 2016 to 2017 in all English regions and Wales, with Wales having the highest number.

ONS said the excess winter deaths continued to be highest in females and people aged 85 and over. But the figures showed that excess winter mortality doubled among males aged 64 or under years between the two winter periods of 2016 to 2017 and 2017 to 2018.

Nick Stripe from the Health Analysis and Life Events unit at ONS, said: "The number of excess winter deaths in England and Wales in 2017 to 2018 was the highest recorded since the winter of 1975 to 1976. However, peaks like these are not unusual - we have seen more than 8 peaks during the last 40 years.

"It is likely that last winter's increase was due to the predominant strain of flu, the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine and below average winter temperatures," he said.

A spokesman for ONS said: "In common with other countries, more people die in the winter than in the summer in England and Wales."

The statistics are worked out by comparing the number of deaths occurring in the winter season with the average rate of non-winter deaths.