COVID-19: England records massive spike in excess deaths

London: An analysis shows England has had the highest level of excess deaths among more than 20 European countries during the coronavirus pandemic.

Britain's Office for National Statistics says there have been 53,000 more deaths in England than the five-year average. The overall national deaths for the year through July 17 stands at 362,229.

By the end of May, the cumulative mortality rate in England was 7.55 per cent higher than the five-year average. Spain was second, with 6.65 per cent more



deaths than usual.

The U.K. statistics office says Britain was hit by a more widespread outbreak than in many other European nations, where the virus was more localised.

It says every region of the U.K. had higher-than-average deaths at the height of the outbreak in April.

Britain's confirmed death toll from the coronavirus stands at just under 46,000. It's third highest in the world after the United States and Brazil.