Death toll jumps to 440 among UK Jews after methodology change

The number of coronavirus-related fatalities has jumped to 440 among UK Jews as of Monday, after a methodology change.

The figure, released on Tuesday, covers fatalities both in hospital and beyond, using data gathered from seven of the largest denominational burial boards, as collated by the Board of Deputies.

The Board of Deputies said on Monday the death toll had risen to 384 as of Sunday. The number of fatalities reported today would add up to 386, were it tallied up using the old methodology.

The new methodology now includes the number of funerals where covid-19 appeared on the death certificate reported by the Western Charitable Foundation and larger regional communities, in partnership with the Jewish Small Communities Network.

It counts fatalities reported by additional regional communities across the UK, including Aberdeen, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Brighton, Canvey Island and Exeter.

“We wish their families a long life, and pray that the memory of their loved ones should be for a blessing,” a spokesperson for the Board of Deputies said in a statement.

The representative body, which previously released daily figures, will now be releasing data once a week, on Tuesdays.

Meanwhile, the national death toll among those tested positive for coronavirus across all settings reached 32,692 as of Monday, the government said on Tuesday.