Coronavirus in the UK: Wider death toll passed 150,000 in mid-March

More than 150,000 people in the UK have had Covid-19 recorded on their death certificate, new figures show.

The grim milestone was passed on March 18, but has only now been confirmed due to the time it takes for deaths to be registered.

The figures, which have been published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), show that 150,116 deaths involving coronavirus have occurred in the UK since the pandemic began.

The total includes all deaths where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, including suspected cases.

People queue outside a Morrisons supermarket in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear.

The ONS figures provide the fullest picture so far of how the Covid-19 pandemic has unfolded in the UK.

They are a more comprehensive measure of deaths than the numbers published daily by the Government, which count only those who died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus, and which currently stand at a total of 126,615.

Of the 150,116 deaths involving coronavirus reported by the ONS, 55,407 (37%) have taken place since the start of 2021.

The highest number of deaths to occur on a single day was 1,469 on January 19.

During the first wave of the virus, the daily death toll peaked at 1,461 deaths on April 8 2020.

The figures show how the number of deaths has slowed dramatically in recent weeks, however.

The ONS figures run up to March 19, and are likely to be revised upwards as more deaths are registered.

Reporting by PA

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