FOI Ref: FOI/2021/3357
You asked
Please supply the number of COVID-19 deaths that included pneumonia/influenza as a comorbidity.
We said
Thank you for your enquiry.
We publish COVID-19 deaths by main pre-existing condition in our Monthly mortality analysis publication. You can access the figures directly here: Pre-existing conditions of people who died due to COVID-19, England and Wales.
You will see that in Q3 2021 (latest) dataset, influenza and pneumonia were not reported as one of the most common pre-existing causes, this is because we only include pre-existing conditions that were in the top 20 (by frequency).
In the Q2 2021 version of this dataset, you will see that there were 69 deaths reported where COVID-19 was the underlying cause and influenza or pneumonia were reported as a pre-existing condition. Earlier versions of this dataset are also available.
We define a pre-existing condition as the last health condition mentioned on the first part of the death certificate, when it came before the coronavirus (COVID-19) or was an independent contributory factor in the death, mentioned in part II. Main pre-existing causes are grouped using the ONS Leading Causes of Deaths list and International Classification of Disease version 10 blocks of causes.
Although there were no COVID-19 deaths reported in Q3 2021 where influenza or pneumonia were reported as one of the most common pre-existing conditions, it doesn't mean that there weren't any deaths of this type, rather the count of these deaths did not appear in the top 20 frequency.
It is possible for us to produce a custom output of data for 2020 and 2021, however the methods used to identify pre-existing cause, as described above, were developed specifically for the publication, and are not easily replicated for ad hoc analysis. However, we could supply the number of deaths where COVID-19 was recorded as the underlying cause and influenza/pneumonia was mentioned anywhere else on the death certificate as a contributory factor. This is slightly different methodology to what is used to produce the pre-existing cause publication. Contributory factors are causes recorded on part two of the medical certificate for cause of death. Part two gives details of any associated conditions that contributed to the death but are not part of the causal sequence. More information of cause of death coding can be found here.
Please note that custom tabulations of mortality data for England and Wales, as mentioned above, are available to order, subject to legal frameworks, disclosure control, resources and agreements of costs, where appropriate. Such enquiries would fall outside of the Freedom of Information regime and should be made to: Health.Data@ons.gov.uk.
If you wish to discuss this request further, please contact health.data@ons.gov.uk.