UK set for ‘200 Covid deaths per week’ for years – one factor might make it worse

A top doc has claimed that the UK could face 200 Covid deaths per week for years – but one thing could make it worse.

The latest UK Government data, up to and including July 12, shows that the number of deaths over the seven day period ending July 22 with Covid-19 on the death certificate was 197 people in the UK.

The week prior was 163, while June ended with 171. However, the 197 figure is the highest death toll since February 12, when 226 died, with an even higher 255 reported the week before – with 316 and 331 the two preceding weeks, respectively.

READ MORE: Boots to close 47 more stores before end of summer in latest high street blow

Click for more of the latest news from across the world from the Daily Star.

And while the dominant variant of the virus that shut the world down for 18 months from March 2020 continues to change, Dr Garety Nye, Programme Lead for Medical Science at Chester Medical School has warned that we could be facing 200 Covid-related deaths per weeks – but it could get worse.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star, he said: “We are currently having reports of between 400 and 500 cases per day of Covid-19 however it’s highly likely that more cases are present in the population which are not being reported.

“The summer months have classically yielded fewer cases of Covid compared with the winter months and so the message should be, Covid is still very much present within the population and caution should be used if you display symptoms.

“For the vast majority of the UK population, Covid has symptoms similar to a bad cold or flu but the most vulnerable adults and children can still die from the disease. We are still seeing close to 200 deaths related to Covid per week and there are many people who are unable to be vaccinated.”

However, he warned: “This is likely now going to be a consistent background disease with rates similar to this for the next few years unless it has a significant mutation which means our current protection is no longer valid.”

Despite the warning – and several others from medical professionals in recent months – the UK Government’s own advice hasn’t been updated since June 10, 2022, which only provides general advice on what to do if you have the virus.

For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.