You asked
Please provide figures for deaths in the UK up to 31/5/20 that were not tested, but put down as possible COVID-19?
We said
Thank you for your request.
We are responsible for mortality data in England and Wales only. National Records Scotland (NRS) and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) are responsible for publishing the number of deaths registered in Scotland and Northern Ireland. They can be contacted at foi@nrscotland.gov.uk and info@nisra.gov.uk respectively if you would like information for the rest of the UK.
Our mortality data comes from the information collected at death registration. All of the conditions mentioned on the death certificate are coded using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). From all of these causes an underlying cause of death is selected using ICD-10 coding rules. The underlying cause of death is defined by WHO as:
a) the disease or injury that initiated the train of events directly leading to death, or
b) the circumstances of the accident or violence that produced the fatal injury
Our definition of COVID-19 includes some cases where the certifying doctor suspected the death involved COVID-19 but was not certain, for example, because no test was done. Of the 43,763 deaths with an underlying cause of COVID-19, 3,622 (8.3%) were classified as "suspected" COVID-19. Including mentions, "suspected" COVID-19 was recorded on 8.7% of all deaths involving COVID-19. This is code U072 in the ICD10 classifications.
The majority of cases (43,763 deaths, 93.7%) when COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, it was found to be the underlying cause of death. This is code U071 in the ICD10 classifications.
Please see the following publication regarding the information above: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsinvolvingcovid19englandandwales/deathsoccurringinmay2020