'Excess winter deaths' up 40% compared to last year

‘Excess winter deaths’ in England and Wales rose by nearly 40% last year, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

In the 2016 to 2017 winter period, there were an estimated 34,300 excess winter deaths – up 39.5% since the 2015 to 2016 winter period.

The number was the second highest over the last five winter periods, but did not exceed the “exceptionally large” number in the 2014 to 2015 winter period, the ONS said.

Jodie Withers, Health Analysis and Life Events, Office for National Statistics, said: “Whilst there has been an increase in excess winter deaths in England and Wales making the total the second highest over the last five winter periods, the number does not exceed the peak that was observed in the 2014 to 2015 winter period.

“The increase is likely due to the predominant strain of flu prevalent during the 2016 to 2017 winter, which had greater impact on the elderly than the young.”

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According to the figures, all of the English regions showed significant increases in the excess winter mortality index between winter 2015/16 and 2016/17, while Wales remained stable.

Women and the elderly were the most affected by excess winter mortality in the 2016 to 2017 winter period and the statistics also showed that more than a third of all excess winter deaths were caused by respiratory diseases in England and Wales in 2016 to 2017.