The UK’s five-day average for coronavirus deaths is now the highest of any major European economy at this point in the pandemic’s curve, new analysis has revealed.

At this point in the pandemic, some 42 days since the tenth death, the five-day average for deaths in the UK stands at 598, according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University. This is far higher than Italy (559), France (509) and Spain (423).

UK coronavirus deaths have been the highest among all major European countries for four days in a row, overtaking France at this stage of the pandemic.

This is despite the international data for the UK only recording deaths in hospitals, in contrast to countries like France which records all community deaths.

ONS figures released today reveal that a further 4,319 coronavirus deaths have now been recorded outside of hospitals in England and Wales. This means that, up to Friday 17 April, the UK death toll was 39 per cent higher than the totals published by NHS England.

Looking at the latest international data, the UK has seen the highest rate of increase in deaths over the last week, prompting experts to worry that a prolonged coronavirus peak could lead to the UK becoming the worst-hit country in Europe.

While the peak of the crisis in the UK is thought to have passed in early April, the five-day average in UK daily deaths has only just fallen below 600.