As @FactCheck reported yesterday, the independent @ONS is now publishing data on deaths in England and Wales where #Covid-19 is mentioned by the doctor on the death certificate. ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulati…
Unlike the death toll the @DHSCgovuk publishes every day, these figures include people dying outside hospital - in care homes, for example - and cases where the diagnosis of #coronavirus has not been confirmed by a test.
So the ONS data captures more deaths. We learn today that ONS is aware of 210 deaths involving Covid-19 occurring before 20 March, 40 more than the 170 announced by DHSC by that date.
There is a difference in the two sets of numbers that can be confusing. There is a time lag between death and registration, so the weekly ONS number will always be slightly out of date.
But over time, the new figures should give us a better picture of overall deaths, in hospitals and outside. Both sets of data carry the same warning: Covid-19 may not always be the main cause of death.
Which death toll is “better”? Neither. The DHSC stats are quicker and tell us about what is happening in critical care wards. The ONS stats are slower to come through but include deaths outside hospitals and may give more information on things like underlying health conditions.
