Peak of pandemic first wave saw estimated 100,000 new cases per day and 1,000+ deaths
The latest 24-hour UK COVID-19 death toll of 367 confirms the SKWAWKBOX analysis earlier this week that the UK’s real mortality rate was 300+ per day.
It also suggests that the lethality of the virus in the second wave is not much changed from what the UK suffered at the height of the first wave of the pandemic.
While testing outside hospitals was negligible in the first wave, scientists estimate a peak of around 100,000 new infections per day – and at its worst the UK saw more than a thousand deaths per day.
Now, with more extensive – though still inadequate – testing, the government is reporting around 30,000 new cases, which means that a daily death toll of 367 represents a similar mortality per infection as in the first wave.
Some new infections will of course be missed, especially with tests still denied to many school children, but with the Tories’ weasel change to the counting of COVID deaths, the actual death toll is likely to be higher too.
The ‘deaths within 28 days of a positive test’ rule would, for example, have excluded author Michael Rosen, had he died after 6-weeks in a COVID coma instead of happily pulling through.
In spite of more knowledge of how best to treat those who suffer coronavirus complications the NHS is currently estimated to be able to save 1 in 5 of those who otherwise would have died of the virus.
The Tories’ shoddy 3-tier scam is inadequate (and inexcusable) in the face of the evidence, as even its own scientists acknowledge.
The SKWAWKBOX needs your help. The site is provided free of charge but depends on the support of its readers to be viable. If you can afford to, please click here to arrange a one-off or modest monthly donation via PayPal or here to set up a monthly donation via GoCardless (SKWAWKBOX will contact you to confirm the GoCardless amount). Thanks for your solidarity so SKWAWKBOX can keep bringing you information the Establishment would prefer you not to know about.
If you wish to republish this post for non-commercial use, you are welcome to do so – see here for more.