Killer cold weather in the United Kingdom

[senorpepr]

More than 2,500 people in England and Wales are likely to have died in the past week as a direct result of cold weather, health forecasters say.

Research published on Tuesday by the Faculty of Public Health and the Met Office shows they will have died from treatable ailments.

It says a higher proportion of the UK's population dies as a result of the cold than in either Finland or Russia.
The researchers say the "needless" deaths put a strain on the NHS.
Most are caused by heart or breathing problems brought on by the cold and damp.
Professor Sian Griffiths, President of the Faculty of Public Health, said as many as 50,000 people could die "unnecessarily" in the UK this winter.

Much of Britain was hit by snow falls and freezing temperatures on Monday.
Snow fell from Scotland to as far south as Suffolk, with mostly eastern parts affected. The Yorkshire Moors had 30 cm (almost a foot) of snow.

Gritters were out in force overnight on motorways and main roads, but forecasters said there had been an overnight thaw.

On Tuesday morning a spokeswoman for AA Roadwatch said some minor roads in Scotland were still blocked by snow and advised drivers in the worst-hit areas to drive with "extreme care".

Professor Griffiths said: "All of us must be vigilant at the moment to look out for family, friends and neighbors who may be suffering.

"Often fatal illnesses develop two or three days after a cold snap has finished."
Sandra Gidley, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for older people, said: "Older people deserve a dignified and healthy old-age.

"But the frailest and most vulnerable elderly people are particularly at risk in the winter.
"The Government must urgently address pensioner poverty and living conditions."

[stu]

Hi there,

Yes the UK media has been full of this one today - personally I think that it is just hype on a slow news day. There are 60 million people that live in the UK and I would guess that about 600,000 would die each year from one reason or another - that makes 50,000 per month.

How the media can estimate that the cold killed 2,500 people is beyond me.

Just another slant of the story ...

[senorpepr]

Yeah, that number did seem a bit large. In a sense, this reminds me of the "killer shark attacks" along the US coast back during the summer of 2001. There wasn't a great deal to talk about in the news, except the Chandra Levy scandal -- if you can call it that. Nonetheless, every day there was at least one news story in regards to the shark attacks when, in fact, there was not an increase in attacks at all. That's just the news media for you. In any event, thanks for your insight on the story!