Virus claims over 300 in Hartlepool
Over 300 people in Hartlepool have died from coronavirus in the last two years, according to new figures.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that 333 deaths involving Covid-19 had been provisionally registered in the area up to March 12 –
231 in hospital, 76 in care homes, 10 in private homes and 14 in a hospice.
The figure is based on Covid-19 being mentioned anywhere on a death certificate.
The deaths in the area were among 8,746 registered across the North East and 159,419 in England.
Separate data also shows the UK’s ‘avoidable mortality- typically deaths among people aged below 75 from causes that considered avoidable given timely and effective healthcare, or public health interventions – in 2020, was the highest since 2010.
Local authority figures show that in Hartlepool, 832 deaths were considered avoidable between 2018 and 2020 – a rate of 323.9 per 100,000 people.
This was up from 315.1 between 2017 and 2019.
Cancer charity Marie Curie is commemorating March 23 – two years after Prime the first UK-wide lockdown was announced – as a National Day of Reflection.
A minute's silence will be held at midday and people are being encouraged to shine a light at 8pm or display flowers in their window.
Claire Collins, Marie Curie's bereavement coordinator, said: "There are still millions of people living with the deep trauma of losing a loved one during the last two years and we hope everyone finds comfort and embraces the day, whether you have had a close bereavement or not."