ONS figures show death rate starting to rise at beginning of first lockdown and increasing sharply each quarter
Deaths directly attributable to alcohol misuse rose dramatically to reach a 20-year high in England and Wales as coronavirus took hold last year, possibly driven by increased consumption by higher-risk drinkers, official data shows.
There were 7,423 alcohol-specific deaths in 2020, up 20% on the previous year and the highest annual death toll since records began in 2001, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. In population terms the rate rose year-on-year from 11 to 13 per 100,000.
