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I don’t know, even from eyeballing I’d guess that the gradient of the line (size of the spike) IS unprecedented in other time period 1970-2020. Sure there may have been a small number of weeks when the number of recorded deaths was similar ballpark to now, but I suspect that the magnitude of those spikes above the recent running average would be comparatively small and attributable to background factors such as (possibly) an interaction between unusually cold weather and economic hardship.
Either way I think the ft is using the Johns Hopkins database so it would be pretty easy to download the data to check... but I’ve got to get back to work.
ewanmac
@greentricky
I think the use of the word unprecedented is hyperbole when there is clearly precedent in winter months, it is however unusual for the time of year