More than two fifths of all deaths in the week ending 22 January were related to Covid, official statistics show.
An analysis of death certificates suggests that more than 9,000 deaths – or around 44% of all deaths – during that seven day period were linked to the pandemic.
The figure, from the UK national statistical agencies, is up by nearly 1,300 on the week before and is the highest proportion since the pandemic started.
But experts say the rise in deaths has now slowed and may now be levelling off.
That data looks at deaths within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test, whereas death certificates rely on the expert judgement of doctors – but the two measures are tracking each other quite closely.
Sarah Scobie, deputy director of research at the Nuffield Trust think tank, said this is “a long way from a typical winter”.
She saidL: “Excess deaths against the five-year average for this time of year are over 40% higher, while London saw twice as many deaths than would have been expected.
Nearly two-thirds of those dying in hospitals and almost half in care homes are from Covid. As well as the individual tragedies for countless relatives and loved ones, these losses are putting a huge physical and emotional strain on caring staff.”
But she added: “It now looks like we are passing the peak of daily reported deaths.
“It now looks like we are passing the peak of daily reported deaths. This peak is yet to unfold in registrations so sadly we are likely to see further rises in these weekly numbers.”
Weekly figures from the Office for National Statistics are available here.