Coronavirus Kent in Five Graphs Week 21 (22/05/20)

NB: All deaths are by local authority and by cause of death, for deaths that occurred up to 22nd May but were registered up to 30th May in England and Wales. They are provisional figures and subject to possible change. Source of data ONS.

All data is for Kent local authorities including Medway only.

All Causes/places of death (G1)

In week 21 (22/05/20) , for the first time the total number of deaths in Kent – including those attributed to Covid-19 (285) is lower than the pre-Covid average weekly total. This again might be explained by the observation that Covid victims are predominantly people with underlying health issues. Some of those who statistically might have been expected to die in week 21 might have succumbed in earlier weeks to the virus. That, combined with the continuing welcome drop in Covid fatalities brings the overall total to below the seasonal average.

Hospitals

103 total deaths in hospital in week 21 is also significantly below the average weekly total in the pre-Covid weeks. As above, frailer victims may have died earlier than in other year – their deaths hastened by the virus.

Care homes

Covid-19 deaths as a proportion of all deaths in Kent care homes are down to 20.7%, the lowest fraction since week 15. In week 20 the corresponding figure was 30.2%. Since some of the deaths in that earlier week might have been undiagnosed Covid deaths, the latest statistic is encouraging. Care homes must be about the most difficult environment to keep a viral infection under control.

Deaths at home

No recorded deaths at home from the virus in week 21. The extended lockdown may be partly responsible.

Other communal establishments

There has been just one Covid-19 death in the last three weeks in other communal establishments. There is no statistical significance in a single death after two free weeks.

For those of you who live in a district served by East Kent Hospital University Foundation Trust, Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone & Hythe and Thanet, it’s clear to see the number of deaths from Covid-19 by week 21 has fallen slowly but surely.

All of the Shepwayvox Team extend their thanks and gratitude to all NHS staff, all carers in care homes and hospices, to all community volunteers, Kent Fire Brigade, Kent Police and Paramedics for their and anyone else we may have forgotten. The thanks you are all owed is immeasurable.

The numbers above are not just numbers, they represent a real person who has passed away because of covid-19, or for other health reasons. Each of them have family, loved ones and friends. To each of you, wherever you are in Kent or Medway, we extend our deepest condolences to you, as we understand many of you will not have been able to be with them at the end.

The one comfort we can all take from the persons passing, is that each of them received the most powerful drug in the world – kindness. It work’s for everyone, it’s hard to get the dose wrong, and it’s free at the point of delivery. Thanks to all those who have delivered that throughout this crisis.

The Shepwayvox Team

Stay Alert – Protect The NHS – Save Lives