You asked
Please provide statistical data for the number of deaths in the London area (area as defined by tested positively count as per region on gov.uk COVID-19 dashboard), with a breakdown of the number that tested positive for coronavirus / COVID-19 and died within London between 01 Februrary 2020 - 15 May 2020 - broken down by day.
Please could this data be calculated in the same way in which the death count is counted on gov.uk but with the breakdown of the London region.
We said
Thank you for your enquiry.
Unfortunately, we would be unable to provide you with a daily breakdown of COVID-19 deaths with your requested calculation requirements. In order to fulfil this request, we would need use a high level of statistical skill and judgement in order to create a bespoke analysis/table. Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, Public Authorities are not obligated to create information in order to respond to requests. We therefore consider this to be information not held.
We also do not hold data relating to COVID-19 testing in NHS establishments. NHS Digital would be better placed to assist with this information.
We are responsible for publishing mortality statistics for deaths registered in England and Wales, using the information supplied on the death certificate.
- Where there was a positive test result, or the certifying doctor was satisfied that the disease was COVID-19 based on symptoms or clinical findings, we record the ICD-10 code U07.1
- If the doctor was not certain of the diagnosis, they can write "suspected COVID-19" or "possible COVID-19" and we record the ICD-10 code U07.2
Whilst we do have data relating to coding advised above, we are unable to provide the split between U0.71 and U.072 at a London geographical level, as we do not hold this data.
However, we can provide the following information, which may be of interest to you:
Please see the following publication: Deaths involving COVID-19, England and Wales: deaths occurring in April 2020. This shows of the 32,143 deaths with an underlying cause of COVID-19, 1,325 (4.1%) were classified as "suspected" COVID-19. Including mentions, "suspected" COVID-19 was recorded on 4.7% of all deaths involving COVID-19.
Please also see our publication deaths registered weekly in England and Wales, which includes weekly figures for deaths by all respiratory diseases and COVID-19.
For further information on weekly deaths involving COVID-19 at London level, we can offer Local Authority and Health Board level, using our Death registrations and occurrences by local authority and health board publication. This is updated every Tuesday. The most recent publications available are week ending 29 May 2020.
For Middle Super Output Area (MSOA) the Deaths involving COVID-19 by local area and deprivation will provide Provisional counts of the number of deaths and age-standardised mortality rates involving the coronavirus (COVID-19) between 1 March and 17 April 2020 in England and Wales. Figures are provided by age, sex, geographies down to local authority level and deprivation indices. This also contains a map where you can search COVID-19 related deaths by postcode. This publication will be updated on 12 June 2020.