UK coronavirus death toll drops by 5,377 after Government changes way fatalities are counted

The coronavirus death toll in the UK has been reduced by more than 5,000 following a review of how figures are calculated.

The Department of Health and Social Care said the number of all deaths in patients testing positive for Covid-19 in the UK within 28 days was 41,329, as of Wednesday, August 12.

Earlier Government figures said 46,706 people had died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK, as of 5pm on Tuesday.

The DHSC said the change came after the UK Government and devolved administrations agreed to publish the number of deaths that have occurred within 28 days of a positive lab-confirmed Covid test result each day.

Deaths were previously included for anyone who had died following a positive coronavirus test at any point.

A new set of figures showing the number of deaths which occur within 60 days of a positive test will also be published in England, the Government said.

Separate figures published by the UK’s statistics agencies show there have been 56,800 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

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