Steady drop in cases raises hopes worst is over

Coronavirus levels are now at the rate they were at last summer, when we enjoyed a few weeks of relative freedom.

It is hoped that the roll-out of the vaccine will prevent a third wave of the virus returning in late summer, allowing us to return to a more normal way of life. Today’s figures show that most areas of the West Midlands are continuing to see a steady drop in virus rates. An outbreak in Herefordshire has pushed it to the top of the list.

Telford & Wrekin, where a possible new variant outbreak is being investigated, is also towards the top, but encouragingly there has been a slight fall over the week.

In Mid Wales, Powys has a rate of just three per 100,000 – one of the lowest rates in the whole of the UK.

Of the 315 local areas in England, 103 have seen a rise in rates, 195 have seen a fall and 17 are unchanged. The North West is now among the regions of concern after it experienced rising levels. Hyndburn near Accrington currently has the highest rate, with 124 new cases in the seven days to April 30 – the equivalent of 153 cases per 100,000 people. This is up from 38.3 in the seven days to April 23. Bolton has the second highest rate, up from 46.3 to 73.4, with 211 new cases. According to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Weekly registered deaths involving coronavirus in England and Wales are at their lowest level for seven months. There were 260 deaths registered in the week ending April 23 where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This is down 28 per cent on the previous week and the lowest number since the week ending September 25.

Some 2.6 per cent of all registered deaths in the week ending April 23 mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate. Overall, there were 9,941 deaths from all causes registered over the seven days – 5.3 per cent below the corresponding period in 2015-19. It is the seventh consecutive week where the total number of deaths was below the five-year average. The latest weekly figures include 50 care home resident deaths involving Covid-19 – down 28 per cent on the previous week. A total of 42,381 care home residents in England and Wales have had Covid-19 recorded on their death certificate since the pandemic began. Some 152,491 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 1,477 on January 19.

During the first wave of the virus, the daily death toll peaked at 1,461 deaths on April 8 2020.

The latest figures also offer fresh evidence of the combined impact of the lockdown restrictions and the vaccine rollout in driving down levels of infections and deaths.

Among people aged 70 and over, deaths involving Covid-19 have fallen by 98% since the second-wave peak, according to PA news analysis of ONS data.

A total of 166 Covid-19 deaths in the 70-and-over age group occurred in England and Wales in the week ending April 16, down from 7,414 deaths in the week ending January 22.

Deaths for those aged 65-69 fell 96% in the same period, with drops of 95% for those aged 60-64 and 96% for those aged both 55-59 and 50-54.

The total number of deaths, based on occurrences rather than registrations, has fallen by 97% from 8,971 in the week to January 22 to 230 in the week to April 16.

Deaths that occurred in the most recent week of reporting - the week to April 23 - are still being registered.