Covid: Number of weekly deaths in England and Wales at highest level since March
The number of deaths involving Covid-19 registered each week in England and Wales has reached its highest level since the end of March, new figures show.
A total of 404 deaths registered in the week ending July 30 mentioned the virus on the death certificate, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The figure is up 24% on the previous week and is the highest number since 719 deaths were registered in the week to March 26.
Deaths dipped as low as 84 in the week to June 11.
Coronavirus: What you need to know
The latest figures reflect the impact of the third wave of Covid.
It began in the UK in May and led to a sharp increase in the number of new cases of coronavirus as well as a smaller rise in hospital patients.
The number of new cases has fallen in recent weeks but this is yet to be reflected in the data for deaths, due to the length of time between someone getting Covid-19, becoming seriously ill and then dying.
While the number of deaths in the latest week is the highest for four months, it is still well below the level seen at the peak of the second wave.
Weekly Covid deaths in England and Wales: A closer look at the data
Some 8,433 deaths involving Covid-19 were registered in England and Wales in the week to January 29 during the peak of the second wave.
There were 10,135 deaths in England and Wales registered in the week ending July 30, 12% above the pre-pandemic five-year average, the ONS said.
Some 49 care home resident deaths involving Covid-19 in England and Wales were registered in the week to July 30, up from 35 deaths in the previous week.
In total, 42,698 care home residents in England and Wales have had Covid-19 recorded on their death certificate since the pandemic began.
The ONS figures cover deaths of care home residents in all settings, not just in care homes.
A total of 155,667 deaths have now occurred in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, the ONS said.
The highest number of deaths to occur on a single day was 1,484 on January 19.
During the first wave of the virus, the daily toll peaked at 1,461 deaths on April 8 2020.