England and Wales recorded a 37% increase in deaths compared with previous years, according to Imperial College London analysis of excess deaths per 100,000 of the population between February and May

England and Wales recorded a 37% increase in deaths compared with previous years, research shows 

Scotland was close behind according to analysis of excess deaths per 100,000 of the population between February and May.

Researchers at Imperial College London looked at weekly death data from 19 European countries, Australia, and New Zealand.

They looked at deaths compared to what would normally be expected in previous years to include deaths from Covid-19 as well as the knock on impacts of lockdown.

This was equivalent to a 37% increase in deaths in England and Wales, and 38% increase in deaths in Spain.

England and Wales, together with Sweden – the only country that did not put in place a mandatory lockdown and only used voluntary social distancing measures – had the longest durations of excess mortality.

The results, published in the journal Nature Medicine, showed Scotland had a 28% increase in death rates.