Covid-19(84): Flu and pneumonia are now killing SIX TIMES more people

Experts have dismissed concerns that England is about to be hit by another crisis, saying hospital admissions — another way ministers track the the disease — have not spiked and that infections are only on the up because of more testing in badly-hit areas such as the North West.

Separate data released on Tuesday showed Covid-19 deaths in England and Wales have reached another low and that flu and pneumonia are now killing six times as many people.

Latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) claims that the viral illnesses killed 1,013 people in England and Wales in the week up to August 7, compared to 152 patients who lost their lives to coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the ONS report — which is released every Tuesday — showed deaths from all causes are lower than  the five-year average for the eighth week in a row.

A total of 8,945 Britons passed in the latest reporting period, which is more than 150 deaths (1.7 per cent) below what was expected.

ONS experts explained that Covid-19 likely sped up the deaths of people who would have died of other causes, meaning the year's fatalities have been front-loaded.

As a result, fewer people are now dying of causes such as heart disease and dementia because they have already succumbed to the coronavirus.