North East sees biggest drop in coronavirus death rates in England during June

New figures show the number of deaths related to coronavirus in the North East dropped from 33.5 per 100,000 people to 7.2 deaths per 100,000 people in June.

This comes as Sunderland and South Tyneside’s NHS Trust has gone over a month without a coronavirus related death while Hartlepool and Northumberland’s trusts have each gone several weeks without a registered Coivd-related death.

ONS data also shows the number of deaths per area of each local authority and which percentage of these are related to coronavirus. According to the figures, 335 deaths related to coronavirus were recorded in Sunderland before July 11.

Three areas of Kent recorded some of the highest Covid-19 mortality rates in England last month – though the levels were much lower than those seen in parts of the country at the peak of the outbreak.

Ashford in Kent saw the highest mortality rate involving Covid-19 in June, with a rate of 36.5 deaths per 100,000 people.

It was followed by Tameside in Greater Manchester (23.9) and then two more local authorities in Kent: Dover and Folkestone & Hythe (both 21.7).

At the height of the coronavirus outbreak in April, parts of London were recording monthly rates that were considerably higher, such as Brent (151.9), Newham (137.8) and Hackney (126.6).

The figures for June reflect the changing impact of Covid-19 in England, as outbreaks become more localised and the virus circulates at a lower level.

North-west England had the highest coronavirus mortality rate of all regions in England last month but at a level of 9.0 deaths per 100,000, down from 27.5 in May.

By contrast south-east England, which includes Kent, saw a rate of 4.9 in June, down from 17.9 in May.

In London the rate fell from 16.2 in May to 3.1 in June, having peaked at 94.7 in April.

The figures, from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), are based on all deaths where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate and which had been registered by July 11.

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