New figures reveal deadly impact of coronavirus on South Tyneside

The latest official data has shown that at its peak, COVID-19 was named as either the cause or a factor in as many as two in every five fatalities in the borough.

And although infections have eased in recent weeks, the figures from the Office for National Statistics shows the virus has been named on 119 death certificates issued in the borough out of a total of 833 since the start of 2020.

This is equivalent to about 14%, slightly below the North East average of 15.4%.

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Similar figures were also seen in Gateshead and Sunderland, which, along with South Tyneside, data from NHS chiefs confirmed, are all in the top three areas of the North East for coronavirus infections per 100,000 people.

However, health bosses were also keen to stress that a large number of confirmed cases was more likely to reflect the number of tests carried out, rather than the ‘underlying prevalence of disease in the community’.

The ONS figures, which run up to May 15, show the number of deaths in which COVID-19 was thought to be a factor appeared to peak at the end of April.

But the number of deaths linked to coronavirus in the borough has stayed flat for the second week in a row, while the overall number of deaths in the borough rose slightly.

A similar trend has been seen in South Tyneside’s care homes, although COVID-linked hospital deaths have been falling.

“These numbers confirm a steady downward trend in both deaths from all causes and from Covid that has been evident since the middle of April,” said Prof David Leon, Professor of Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

“This downward trend is seen in all settings.

“In care homes and hospitals, total deaths [nationwide] in this most recent week ending 15 May have more than halved compared to their respective peaks.”

Prof Leon also said the latest data suggested so-called ‘collateral deaths’ of people who had delayed treatment or diagnosis of some health conditions due to the coronavirus outbreak may also be falling.

But he added it may take years to see the impact on other chronic conditions, such as cancer.

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