§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people died of influenza-related illnesses in each of the last 20 years. [169326]
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§ Ruth KellyThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. David Willetts, dated 4 May 2004:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many people died of influenza-related illnesses in each of the last 20 years (169326).
The latest year for which data are available is 2002. The number of deaths certified as due to influenza1 are given in the table below, for the calendar years 1983 to 2002. Previous analysisa,b has shown that deaths certified as due to influenza under-estimate the increase in mortality associated with influenza outbreaks and epidemics.
Calendar year Number of deaths 1983 796 1984 346 1985 662 1986 587 1987 190 1988 285 1989 2,114 1990 791 1991 248 1992 262 1993 439 1994 62 1995 251 1996 179 1997 347 1998 129 1999 585 2000 509 2001 38 2002 38 1 The cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) code 487 for the years 1983 to 2000, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes J10-J11 for 2001 and 2002. a Curwen M, Dunnell K, Ashley J. Hidden influenza deaths: 1989–90. Population Trends 61 (1990), 31-33. b Ashley J, Smith T, Dunnell K. Deaths in Great Britain associated with the influenza epidemic of 1989–90. 'Population Trends' 65 (1991), 16-20.