Seven-month high for Jewish coronavirus death toll
New figures show 20 burials where the deceased contracted Covid-19 took place last week, the first time it has been in double figures since May
The pandemic Jewish death rate has hit a seven-month high, according to latest figures.
This comes as London is set to enter strict Tier 3 restrictions on Wednesday amid soaring cases, and the first doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine were distributed last week.
The figures, collated by the Board of Deputies with seven of the community’s largest burial boards, shows 20 burials took place in the week ending 11 December. This brings the number of Coronavirus-related deaths in the community to one short of the grim landmark of 600.
Board President Marie van der Zyl said it “has recorded a larger increase in reported Covid-19 mortality in the Jewish community this week than in previous weeks. “This may or may not be the start of a trend. However, as communities in London, Hertfordshire and Essex move into Tier 3 to join those such as Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham and Gateshead, it serves as a reminder that we should all be carefully adhering to Government guidance.”
Figures are collated with regional Jewish communities and the Jewish Small Communities Network, the Adass Yisroel Burial Society, Federation of Synagogues, Joint Jewish Burial Society, Liberal Judaism, The Spanish and Portuguese Sephardi Community, the United Synagogue, and Orthodox burial societies in Manchester.
More than 60,000 have died nationally, with 1.5m million fatalities globally.
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