New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released this morning have added to the mounting evidence that coronavirus is disproportionately killing ethnic minorities, particularly black men and women.
ONS analysis shows that black men are 4.2 times more likely to die from coronavirus than white men, and black women are 4.3 times more likely to die than white women. People from Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Indian ethnic groups are also significantly more likely to die from Covid-19. Even when the ONS adjusted for socio-economic factors, geography, levels of deprivation and any existing ill-health, its analysis showed black people are roughly twice as likely to die from coronavirus than white people are.
In economic news, a Bank of England “illustrative scenario” has forecast the UK’s worst economic slump in 300 years, with GDP falling 14 per cent in 2020, before rebounding in 2021.
A separate ONS survey shows that the pandemic has halved many businesses’ turnovers, while the United Nations has tripled the size of humanitarian aid appeal for vulnerable nations to $6.7bn, warning of growing hunger and poverty.
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