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The full impact of #Coronavirus in #Birmingham #Solihull #Dudley #sandwell #Walsall #Wolverhampton is laid bare today after I looked through @ONS data to investigate how many âexcess deathsâ there were in April - thatâs the number of people who died above the norm. THREAD
2. What I found is that 4,290 people died in those six areas of #WestMids in just four weeks - thatâs 2,500 or so MORE than is normal for a typical April. Every death above the ânormâ is called an excess death. These people would not, ordinarily, have died - but for #Covid19.
3. The number of #ExcessDeaths then should match up, near enough, to deaths due to #COVID19 - but sadly, shockingly, they donât. Thereâs a shortfall of 744 - thatâs 744 people who died in April who normally would not, but whose deaths are NOT due to #COVID19
4. In @BhamCityCouncil area the number of non-Covid #ExcessDeaths is v high. Last April, 2019, 667 people died in #Birmingham (who normally live here - an important side note). In the four weeks of April 2020 I looked at, the number who died rocketed to 1,840. Thatâs 1,173 extra
5. Those #ExcessDeaths then should line up, thereabouts, with the number of people whose death certificates mention #Covid19, right? But they don& #39;t -nowhere near. The number of registered deaths in @BhamCityCouncil area in that period that mention #Covid19 was 809.
6. That& #39;s a big gap. That means 364 & #39;extra& #39; people died in @BhamCityCouncil area in April whose deaths have NOT been directly attributed to #covid19 - so what have they died from?
7. Either this is proof that the death toll from #coronavirus is higher than officially registered so far - that these people died from #Covid19 but other causes were put on their death certificate.
8. Or it means the impact of #COVID19 extends far beyond the direct & #39;deaths from virus& #39;. The impact of lockdown, the closure of services and support, delays in treatments and people& #39;s unwillingness to get medical help may have been more profound, esp in deprived areas.
9. It& #39;s not just #Birmingham - in @SolihullCouncil area there were 99 non-covid excess deaths; in @sandwellcouncil there were 64; in #dudley there were 57; in @WalsallCouncil there were 74; in @WolvesCouncil 86. Read the investigation so far here https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/revealed-744-excess-deaths-birmingham-18238063">https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midl...
10. I spoke to @DrJV75 @BhamCityCouncil - he confirmed an investigation is under way to look at this, in collaboration with the deaths register office, "to explore this and understand what is going on." #ExcessDeaths
