Dozens more deaths than expected in Hartlepool

Public Health England data compares the number of deaths registered with how many were predicted based on previous mortality rates to calculate the number of excess deaths.

Hartlepool recorded 1,080 deaths from any cause in 2021 – compared to a predicted 1,024 – 52 (5%) more.

Of the deaths registered, 133 (12%) had Covid-19 on the death certificate.

Excess deaths are considered a better measure of the overall impact of Covid-19 than mortality directly linked to the virus, as they capture deaths that may have been indirectly caused by the crisis.

Since March 2020, 115,600 excess deaths have been recorded in England.

The deadliest time of the year in England came over three weeks in January and February when there were around 5,000 excess deaths each week.

In Hartlepool, the highest weekly excess death total came in the seven days to January 8 when the area recorded 19 excess deaths.

The Nuffield Trust said lockdown measures reduced the circulation of flu and other illnesses, which could be why the number of excess deaths nationally was lower than the number of Covid deaths in 2021.

Sarah Scobie, deputy director of research at the organisation, said: "As the vaccination programme has rolled out, the number of Covid deaths has reduced, despite high numbers of cases.

"The huge toll of Covid should not be underestimated though. There have still been hundreds of excess deaths recorded every week since July.”