You asked
Could I please request the total deaths within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of 30 April 2021, as single totals for each available age range (ie 40-49, 50-59).
We said
Thank you for your request.
The mortality data published by ONS are derived from the formal process of death registration. Deaths from COVID-19 may include cases where the doctor completing the death certificate diagnosed possible cases of COVID-19, for example, where this was based on relevant symptoms but no test for the virus was conducted. This differs to the data published on the GOV.UK website which are counts of all causes of death where a positive test for COVID-19 has been confirmed.
We do not have access to data on when the test was conducted as this is not recorded on the death certificate. Therefore, we do not hold the specific data requested.
However, deaths with a positive test are coded using the ICD10 code U0.71 and those with suspected COVID-19 but no test has been conducted are coded with ICD10 U0.72.
ONS have been publishing a breakdown of COVID-19 deaths by age group in our weekly deaths bulletin. With statistics published up to week ending 14 May 2021. Please download the 'Covid-19 – Weekly registrations' table in the 2020 and 2021 datasets for weekly deaths involving COVID-19 by age. You will be able to sum the weekly totals for these age groups to give you a single total.