Dataset(s): Deaths registered weekly in England and Wales, provisional

Important notes and usage information

• The number of deaths registered in England and Wales in the week ending 15 January 2021 (Week 2) was 18,042, 291 more deaths than in the previous week (Week 1); this is the fourth-highest number of weekly deaths recorded during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

• In Week 2, the number of deaths registered was 30.5% above the five-year average (4,220 deaths higher).

• Of the deaths registered in Week 2, 7,245 mentioned "novel coronavirus (COVID-19)", the third-highest weekly number recorded during the pandemic and an increase of 1,188 deaths compared with Week 1.

• In Week 2, deaths involving COVID-19 accounted for 40.2% of all deaths in England and Wales; this is the highest proportion of deaths involving COVID-19 that has been recorded during the pandemic.

• Of the 7,245 deaths involving COVID-19, 6,510 had this recorded as the underlying cause of death (89.9%).

• Of the 5,273 deaths that involved Influenza and Pneumonia, 381 had this recorded as the underlying cause of death (7.2%).

• In England, the total number of registered deaths increased from 16,527 (Week 1) to 16,845 (Week 2), the fifth-highest total recorded during the pandemic; all English regions had a higher number of deaths than the five-year average for the 10th week in a row.

• In Week 2, the number of registered deaths involving COVID-19 increased in eight out of nine English regions compared with Week 1, with the South East and East of England recording their highest weekly numbers of deaths involving COVID-19.

• In Wales, the total number of registered deaths in Week 2 was 314 higher than the five-year average; total deaths in Wales have exceeded the first wave peak of 1,169 deaths recorded in Week 16 (week ending 17 April 2020) for two weeks in a row.

• In Wales, the number of registered deaths involving COVID-19 increased from 454 (Week 1) to 467 (Week 2), the highest recorded at any point during the pandemic.

• We estimate that the number of deaths actually occurring (rather than registered) in Week 2 in England and Wales was between 17,847 and 22,626.

• The number of deaths registered in the UK in the week ending 15 January 2021 was 20,019, which was 4,347 higher than the five-year average; of deaths registered in the UK in Week 2, 7,766 deaths involved COVID-19, 1,173 higher than in Week 1.

This table includes provisional counts of the number of deaths registered in England and Wales, by age, sex and region, in the latest weeks for which data are available. Includes the most up-to-date figures available for deaths involving the coronavirus (COVID-19).

For information on data quality, legislation and procedures relating to mortality statistics, please see our User guide to mortality statistics.

For mortality data for other UK countries please see statistics on deaths in Scotland and statistics on deaths in Northern Ireland.