Covid: 500 deaths in Brighton two years on from first lockdown

Marie Curie is commemorating today, Wednesday, March 23 – two years after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the first UK-wide lockdown – as the National Day of Reflection.

The charity is urging people to come together to remember the lives of those lost to Covid-19 and support the millions of people across the UK who are grieving, as figures reveal the toll in Brighton and Hove.

Brighton and Hove seafront during the third national lockdown

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that in Brighton and Hove, 570 deaths involving Covid-19 had been provisionally registered up to March 12.

Of these, 342 were in hospitals and 173 in care homes, while 27 were in private homes and 18 in hospices.

There were also nine deaths in another communal establishments, and one elsewhere.

It means deaths outside hospital settings accounted for 40 per cent of the overall toll.

The figures include deaths that occurred up to March 4, which were registered up to eight days later.

ONS data is based on where Covid-19 is mentioned anywhere on the death certificate.

Brighton and Hove seafront during lockdown

The deadliest week of the pandemic so far came in the seven days to January 29, 2021, when 46 people died in Brighton and Hove.

The deaths in the area were among 24,517 registered across the South East up to March 12, and 159,419 across England.

Claire Collins, Marie Curie's bereavement co-ordinator, said coming together on March 23 is a way to "reflect on our collective losses in a mindful way".

She said: "There are still millions of people living with the deep trauma of losing a loved one during the last two years and we hope everyone finds comfort and embraces the day, whether you have had a close bereavement or not."

A minute's silence will be held at midday today and people are being encouraged to shine a light at 8pm or display flowers in their window to show support.