A statistical tweak has just cut England’s Covid death toll by 5,000
Public Health England has changed its definition of Covid deaths. Hitherto, it counted anyone who died who had previously had a laboratory-confirmed positive Covid-19 test - irrespective of how long ago that test was The new definition introduces a time limit: the death of someone who tested positive no more than 28 days before death. The new data (here) means England has had 36,695 deaths using this definition as opposed to the previous reported 42,072 – a difference of 5,377. Here's how the figures compare: So the difference is more marked in June, July and August. For example, under the old system, 2,086 deaths were reported in England.
