(Bloomberg) --
Deaths involving coronavirus in England and Wales fell to the lowest since the lockdown began in March, a sign that restrictions on movement proved effective in reducing the spread of the disease.
The decline in fatalities has allowed the government to restart the economy after more than two months of restrictions. Outdoor markets and car showrooms opened on Monday, and other retailers will be allowed to trade later this month.
Almost 2,590 deaths registered in England and Wales mentioned the virus on the death certificate in the week ended May 22, the Office for National Statistics said on Tuesday. That was a drop of 32% from a week earlier, and the lowest since the week of March 27, when the lockdown was introduced.
The government is facing criticism from some scientists for easing its lockdown too early, which has led to fears the country could be vulnerable to a second wave of the pandemic. The country has already recorded the second-highest number of virus deaths in the world and was among the last European nations to introduce curbs on movement.
More than 48,000 deaths in the U.K. have been linked to the virus, according to the latest figures from national statistics agencies. Reporting of deaths vary from country to country, with some only counting those confirmed by a diagnostic test.
- There were 12,288 deaths from all causes in the week ended May 22, 24% above the five-year average
- That was fewer than the previous week, when figures were skewed by the bank holiday weekend
- South east of England had the most virus deaths, while the north east had the highest proportion of deaths caused by the disease
©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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