Coronavirus: England had Europe’s worst excess mortality

British prime minister Boris Johnson has boasted of the UK’s “massive success” in driving down coronavirus deaths. Picture: PA

British prime minister Boris Johnson has boasted of the UK’s “massive success” in driving down coronavirus deaths as it emerged England had the highest levels of excess mortality in Europe across the first half of this year.

The country experienced the longest continuous period of excess deaths as well as the highest levels, found a comparison of 23 European countries by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).