Covid-19 was the ninth-leading cause of death in the UK. Getty Images
Covid-19 was the ninth-leading cause of death in the UK. Getty Images
Covid-19 was the ninth-leading cause of death in the UK. Getty Images
Covid-19 was the ninth-leading cause of death in the UK. Getty Images

Covid-19 drops to ninth-leading cause of death in England


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People in England are more likely to die from Alzheimer’s than Covid-19, data shows.

Research by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed 941 deaths were caused by coronavirus last month – the equivalent of 2.4 per cent of all deaths registered in England.

The tally made the disease the ninth-leading cause of death in April.

From November to February, Covid-19 was the leading cause of death in England.

In March, the disease was the third-leading cause of death, before dropping six places in a month.

In April, ischaemic heart disease (4,144 deaths) was the biggest killer in England, followed by dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (4,018 deaths).

April was also the first month where deaths in England were below the five-year average – 6.1 per cent lower – since August 2020, ONS data showed.

The overall mortality rate was 851.2 deaths per 100,000 people – the lowest for April since 2001.

England’s chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty referred to the improving Covid-19 situation when speaking about the dangers of smoking.

He said smoking-related diseases killed 90,000 a year. The UK’s total Covid-19 death toll is 127,694.

“Smoking is one of the biggest causes of a very large number of diseases, of which lung cancer is only one,” he said.

“It is likely that by the end of last year at least as many and probably more people will have died of smoking-related disease than of Covid. It also has a very significant impact on hospitalisation.”

Three people died from Covid-19 during the latest 24-hour period, and there were 2,696 new cases recorded.

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At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year

 

Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 

 

Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances

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• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.

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Quick pearls of wisdom

Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”

Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.” 

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Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
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1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

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Age: 19 

Profession: medical student at UAE university 

Favourite book: The Ocean at The End of The Lane by Neil Gaiman

Role model: Parents, followed by Fazza (Shiekh Hamdan bin Mohammed)

Favourite poet: Edger Allen Poe