Britain records 138 more coronavirus deaths in preliminary toll - Daily Mail

Britain announced 138 more coronavirus victims today as the daily fatality toll continues to drop but the average number of new cases is still higher than last week.

The drop comes as separate promising figures today revealed the number of people dying from suspected or confirmed Covid-19 in England and Wales has dropped to the lowest levels since mid-March. .

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also showed deaths are still falling in every region and that the number of fatalities from all causes has now stayed below average for three weeks. .

But other Department of Health records show the number of people testing positive for the coronavirus each day is higher this week than it was last, raising fears Britain's outbreak could be on the rise again. .

Only 398 more cases were confirmed today but the rolling seven-day average stands at 597 — 4 per cent higher than last Tuesday's 575. .

The daily data does not represent how many Covid-19 patients died within the last 24 hours — it is only how many fatalities have been reported and registered with the authorities. .

Data compiled by the statistical bodies of each of the home nations show 55,706 people died of either confirmed or suspected Covid-19 across the UK by the end of May.

The Office for National Statistics confirmed that 50,698 people in England and Wales died with confirmed or suspected Covid-19 by July 3.

Excess deaths are considered to be an accurate measure of the number of people killed by the pandemic because they include a broader spectrum of victims.

As well as including people who may have died with Covid-19 without ever being tested, the data also shows how many more people died because their medical treatment was postponed, for example, or who didn't or couldn't get to hospital when they were seriously ill.

It means the rolling average of daily cases has dropped from 624 to 597, after it increased for three days in a row. However, it is still higher than it was last Tuesday (575).

Before yesterday, the UK suffered an increase in its average number of daily cases was on May 7, when 5,600 Brits were diagnosed with Covid-19 and the spike was blamed on more people being swabbed for the infection.

The daily death data does not represent how many Covid-19 patients died within the last 24 hours — it is only how many fatalities have been reported and registered with the authorities.

It comes as official statistics today revealed the number of people dying of coronavirus rose in Wales during the first week of July for the first time since April.

Thirty people died with Covid-19 in the seven-day spell between June 27 to July 3, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data — up from 26 a week earlier.

But the government data also showed the number of confirmed or suspected coronavirus deaths has continued to fall in every region of England, suggesting the outbreak may still be slowing down.

Other promising figures showed the number of people dying of all causes has now been below average for three weeks in England and Wales and just 381 deaths were recorded in that week — the fewest since mid-March?

And the number of Covid-19 deaths registered each week — by when they were counted as opposed to when they actually happened — has also fallen to its lowest level for 15 weeks

According to the data from the ONS, the number of deaths registered in England and Wales involving Covid-19 in the week ending July 3 — known as week 27 — was 532. 

The report said: 'The number of death registrations involving the coronavirus (Covid-19) decreased from 606 in Week 26 to 532 in Week 27, the lowest number of Covid-19 deaths registered since Week 12, week ending March 20, when 103 deaths involved Covid-19. 

'Of all deaths registered in Week 27, 5.8 per cent mentioned Covid-19, down from 6.7 per cent in Week 26.' 

The number of deaths happening each week has also fallen to the lowest level for 16 weeks

This takes into account when the people actually died and not when their death was registered by officials, which makes it more accurate.  

Government figures yesterday suggested that Britain's coronavirus outbreak may be getting worse after the average number of new cases jumped six per cent in the first week-on-week rise since early May.  

Britain's coronavirus outbreak may be getting worse as alarming government figures yesterday revealed the average number of new cases has jumped six per cent in the first week-on-week rise since early May — but the daily death toll has dipped to a 17-week low. 

Department of Health data showed 530 more Britons tested positive for the life-threatening disease, meaning the rolling average of daily infections had increased for the third day in a row to 624 — up from 590 last Monday, which was 34 per cent lower than the same day the week before

The last time the UK suffered an increase in its average number of daily cases was on May 7, when 5,600 Britons were diagnosed with Covid-19 and the spike was blamed on more people being swabbed for the infection after officials finally ramped up the mass-testing scheme

Today's ONS report also confirmed that at least 50,698 people had died of suspected or confirmed Covid-19 in England and Wales by July 3. 

This means at least 55,706 people in the UK had died of coronavirus 10 days ago — a number that is significantly higher than the government's official tally

Today's data comes after a release last week confirmed that England's coronavirus outbreak is still shrinking and the number of new cases each day had more than halved in a week

An ONS testing scheme estimated 1,700 people are getting infected with Covid-19 each day outside of hospitals and care homes — down from 3,500 a week earlier

A report by Public Health England and the University of Cambridge predicted last Monday that the true number of daily cases is more like 5,300 but could even be as high as 7,600.