THURROCK Council has revealed that the deaths of 39 Vietnamese would-be illegal immigrants has proved a distorting factor in national news coverage of the impact of Covid-19 in the region.

A national newspaper article recently used government-produced statistics to show the borough as the place in the country which had suffered the highest increase in death rates during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Daily Mail compared death rates above the seasonal average in the area with those in countries across Europe.

The information also featured in a recent Thurrock Nub News story based on the figures released by the Office for National Statistics which highlighted the official figures in context.

Today Thurrock Council's portfolio holder for health, Cllr Allen Mayes, said the figures were somewhat misleading and said they had been affected by including the deaths of the Vietnamese whose bodies were found in a refrigerated container in West Thurrock last year.

The council released the following statement: "Figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that excess deaths in Thurrock peaked in the week ending 17 April with 286% more deaths than usual. However those figures include the 39 men and women who were tragically discovered in Eastern Avenue, Grays last October.

"Their deaths were not formally registered until 11 April 2020, following the proceedings of an inquest by HM Senior Coroner.

"A Daily Mail report has used the ONS figures to incorrectly claim that Thurrock had one of the largest death rate peaks in Europe. The statistics used in the ONS study, and quoted by the Daily Mail, are based on the date that deaths are registered in the UK. Usually death registration happens close to the time of death however in more complicated circumstances deaths can be registered much later.

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"Although those deaths are just as tragic as the deaths of any other individual, when they are set aside from other deaths within the period in question, the figure for excess deaths in Thurrock represents a 170% increase on the average for that week – nowhere close to the highest in Europe. Across the entire time of the pandemic the number of positive tests in Thurrock has been among the lowest compared to similar authorities."

Cllr Mayes said: "This highlights the issue of trying to use one week's data to tell a story about a pandemic which has been affecting the world for more than four months now.

"When comparing local authority areas it is important to consider the total number of excess deaths during the epidemic, and not simply compare the figures of one week, as different areas have experienced different shaped epidemic curves.

"Thurrock's communities have done an excellent job of following guidance and socially distancing. I would urge everyone to ignore these unhelpful and inaccurate news reports and continue to follow government advice and guidance."