The number of registered deaths involving Covid-19 in England and Wales has fallen to its lowest number since late March, new figures show.
There were a total of 8,823 deaths registered in England and Wales in the week to July 17, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) - 270 fewer than the five-year average of 9,093.
This is the fifth week in a row that deaths have been below the five-year average.
Of the deaths registered in the week to July 17, 295 mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate – the lowest number since the week ending March 20, when there were 103 deaths.
That equates to 3.3 per cent of all registered a deaths, a decrease from 4.2 per cent the previous week.
In the same week, the ONS said all but two regions in England had deaths below the five-year average.
The exceptions were the East Midlands, where the number of registered deaths was 3.0 per cent above the five-year average, and the West Midlands, which was 2.7 per cent above the average.
The other regions were south east England (2.3 per cent below), south west England (2.5 per cent below), eastern England (2.7 per cent below), Yorkshire and the Humber (3.5 per cent below), north west England (5.5 per cent below), London (6.9 per cent below) and north east England (9.7 per cent below).
In Wales, the number of deaths registered in the week to July 17 was 1.3 per cent below the five-year average.
UK stays alerts during Coronavirus - In pictures
It comes as more than 56,400 deaths involving coronavirus have now been registered in the UK.
The ONS figures show that 51,366 deaths involving Covid-19 had occurred in England and Wales up to July 17, and had been registered by July 25.
Figures published last week by the National Records for Scotland showed that 4,193 deaths involving Covid-19 had been registered in Scotland up to July 19.
Meanwhile, 850 deaths had occurred in Northern Ireland up to July 17 - and had been registered up to July 22 - according to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.
Together, these figures mean that so far 56,409 deaths have been registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, including suspected cases.