Who is dying from COVID-19 in the United Kingdom? A review of cremation authorisations from a single South Wales' crematorium.

Only studies in the UK on individuals dying from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in hospital have been published, to date. Cremation law requires collection of clinical information that can improve understanding of deaths in both hospital and community settings. Age, sex, date and place of death, occupation, comorbidities and where infection acquired was recorded for all deaths from COVID-19, between 6 April and 30 May, for whom an application was made for cremation at a South Wales' crematorium. Of 752 cremations, 215 (28.6%) were COVID-19 (115 (53.5%) male and 100 (46.5%) female). Median age was 82 years (youngest patient 47 and the oldest 103 years). Over half the deaths (121/215: 56.3%) were over 80 years. Males' odds of dying in hospital, rather than the community were 1.96 times that of females (95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.03-3.74, P = 0.054) despite being of similar age and having a similar number of comorbidities. Only 21 (9.8%) of 215 patients had no comorbidities recorded. Patients dying in care homes were significantly older than those dying in hospital (median 88 years (interquartile (IQ) range 82-93 years) vs. 80 years (IQ range 71-87 years): P < 0.0001). Patients dying in hospital had significantly more comorbidities than those dying in care homes (median 2: IQ range 1-3 vs. 1: IQ range 1-2: P < 0.001). Sixty three (29.3%) of infections were hospital acquired and a further 55 (25.6%) acquired in care homes. In a series, of hospital and community deaths, persons over 80 with an average two comorbidities predominated. Men were more likely to die in hospital. Half the infections were acquired in hospitals or care homes with implications for management of the pandemic.

Incidence of leukaemia and lymphoma in young people in the vicinity of the petrochemical plant at Baglan Bay, South Wales, 1974 to 1991.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there was an increased incidence of leukaemias and lymphomas in young people aged less than 25 years in the locality of a petrochemical plant at Baglan Bay, South Wales. METHODS: Geographical population based study to compare the observed and expected incidence of leukaemia and lymphoma with onset before the age of 25, in the years 1974 to 1991. The population was aged 0-24 years and lived within 1.5 and 3 km of the plant. The observed number of cases in various categories were compared with the expected numbers of cases calculated from the Welsh cancer registration rates. RESULTS: Although the observed numbers were generally greater than would be expected, none of the comparisons showed significant excess of leukaemias or lymphomas for any period of years. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that the incidence of leukaemias and lymphomas in children and young people in the area around the BP Chemical site at Baglan Bay, South Wales, between the years 1974 and 1991 was not significantly greater than normal.