Influenza and COVID-19 death data

You asked

Please provide the following information:

Between what dates does the ONS consider 'the flu season'?

How many deaths of influenza (NOT INCLUDING COVID 19) have there been in the following years (please provide a total numerical answer):

2017

2018

2019

2020 so far

What is the typical peak month for influenza deaths?

How many deaths from influenza occurred between;

December 1st 2017 - March 31st 2018

December 1st 2018 - March 31st 2019

December 1st 2019 - March 31st 2020

How many influenza deaths have occurred in 2020?

How many deaths from COVID-19 only have occurred (from the first known case to date). This means where no other underlying condition was listed on the death certificate.

We said

Thank you for your request.

We are responsible for producing mortality statistics for England and Wales. We collect this information from the death certificate at death registration.

Between what dates does the ONS consider FLU season?

Please see the following link to our winter excess morality report: Winter Excess Mortality.

Weekly outputs are normally published during the winter season between October (week 40) and May (week 20) the period when influenza typically circulates.

What is the typical peak month for influenza deaths?

We do not state what the peak month is for influenza deaths. However, the graph in section 6 of the Winter Excess Mortality report above indicates that the highest number of weekly deaths in the 2018 to 2019 period occurred in week 1 of 2019, with 816 deaths.

How many deaths of influenza (NOT INCLUDING COVID-19) have there been in the following years?

Our mortality data comes from the information collected at death registration. All of the conditions mentioned on the death certificate are coded using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). From all of these causes an underlying cause of death is selected using ICD-10 coding rules. The underlying cause of death is defined by WHO as:

a) the disease or injury that initiated the train of events directly leading to death, or

b) the circumstances of the accident or violence that produced the fatal injury

In our annual death registrations dataset we combine influenza and pneumonia. However, statistics for Influenza alone be found on NOMIS as part of our explorable dataset. Here is an extract for all deaths where the underlying cause was influenza, 2017 – 2019, England and Wales.

We cannot currently confirm figures for deaths in 2020 as this data is still in a provisional state and subject to change following death registrations and inquests that may take place later. Complete figures will be available in 2021.

We publish a dataset for deaths registered weekly in England and Wales, which includes provisional figures for deaths by all respiratory diseases and the coronavirus (COVID-19) in 2020. In this publication, influenza deaths are not shown separately, instead they are included in respiratory deaths (ICD Code J00 - J99). Unfortunately, we would be unable to provide you with a further breakdown of these figures we have for 2020 so far. 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. 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.

In the response to COVID-19, we have been producing a monthly extract for Deaths involving COVID-19, England and Wales. This publication provides a greater insight into the leading underlying causes of death groups for deaths occurring in England and Wales between March and June 2020. Figures for both 'Influenza and Pneumonia' (J09 – J18) and 'Coronavirus' (U07.1-U07.2) during this period can be found on table 1.

How many deaths from influenza occurred between:

• December 1st 2017 – March 2018
• December 1st 2018 – March 2019
• December 1st 2019 – March 2020

Unfortunately, we would be unable to provide you with this breakdown. 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 for you. 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.

How many influenza deaths have occurred in 2020?

As stated above, 2020 mortality data is still in a provisional state and not available in its entirety. We have provisional data available from March – June 2020 grouped for both 'influenza and pneumonia' in table 5 of Deaths involving COVID-19, England and Wales.

• Influenza and pneumonia: England and Wales – 4582
• Influenza and pneumonia: England – 4426
• Influenza and pneumonia: Wales - 147

How many deaths from only COVID-19 have occurred (from the first known case to date)? This means where no other underlying condition was listed on the death certificate.

These figures can be found in table 5 of Deaths involving COVID-19, England and Wales.

• No pre-existing condition: England and Wales – 4476
• No pre-existing condition: England – 4169
• No pre-existing condition: Wales - 294