A map has revealed how many coronavirus deaths there have been in postcodes across Epping Forest and Harlow.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has analysed the 20,208 coronavirus related deaths in England and Wales between March 1 - April 17.

Figures published ONS differ from the government's as they are based on deaths where confirmed or suspected Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, rather than only deaths preceded by a positive test.

The map released by ONS shows the number of registered deaths, as of April 18, broken down by the ONS’ ‘Middle Layer Supper Output Areas’ (MSOA) - a geospatial statistical unit used to facilitate the reporting of small area statistics.

Epping Forest, with a population of 131,137 (as of 2018), had a Covid-19 death rate of 62 per 100,000 people over the 48-day period.

Harlow – population 85,500 – had a death rate of 55.

The average across England and Wales was 36.2.

Local authorities across London averaged 86 deaths per 100,000 with the highest rate, 144, recorded in Newham.

Covid-19 deaths in Epping Forest

The data shows there were 86 Covid-19 related deaths across Epping Forest.

Waltham Abbey West and Buckhurst Hill have both recorded 11 deaths, the highest out of the MSOA areas in the district, while Chipping Ongar, Waltham Abbey South and Epping North have recorded the lowest number of deaths, two.

In Grange Hill and Loughton North there were eight confirmed deaths and in Loughton West there were seven.

Covid-19 deaths in Harlow

The data shows there were 40 deaths involving coronavirus across Harlow.

The highest number of deaths, seven, occurred in Passmores and The High, followed by five in Mark Hall and Templefields and Potter Street.

In Church Langley only one death was recorded and in Kingsmoor there were two.

Data breakdown

Nationally, the data found that people living in the most deprived areas of England experienced coronavirus mortality rates more than double those living in the least deprived areas.

For those deaths involving Covid-19 that took place between March 1 and April 17, the mortality rate in the most deprived areas was 55.1 deaths per 100,000 population.

By contrast, the rate was 25.3 deaths per 100,000 in the least deprived areas.

The data by the ONS also shows the Covid-19 mortality rate in the most deprived areas of England has been higher among men (76.7 deaths per 100,000 population) than women (39.6).

Nick Stripe, ONS head of health analysis, said: “By mid-April, the region with the highest proportion of deaths involving Covid-19 was London, with the virus being involved in more than four in ten deaths since the start of March.

“The 11 local authorities with the highest mortality rates were all London boroughs, with Newham, Brent and Hackney suffering the highest rates of Covid-19 related deaths.

“People living in more deprived areas have experienced Covid-19 mortality rates more than double those living in less deprived areas. General mortality rates are normally higher in more deprived areas, but so far Covid-19 appears to be taking them higher still."

For the full data set see: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsinvolvingcovid19bylocalareasanddeprivation/latest