Weekly coronavirus deaths in care homes have fallen to their lowest levels since the pandemic began, according to official data.
Latest Office for National Statistics figures showed 10 residents died from the virus in England and Wales in the week ending June 25. For comparison, the lowest figure until now was 12 in the final week of May.
At the peak of the initial outbreak, more than 3,000 care home residents were dying from the virus every week at the end of April last year.
Levels only dropped to double-digits during the summer, when the country enjoyed a lull in the spread of the virus.
But they spiked again to more than 2,000 a week at the peak of the second wave in winter when the Kent 'Alpha' variant burned through the population.
Boris Johnson yesterday announced he would tear up the limit on how many visitors care home residents are allowed on Freedom Day in two weeks time.
But stringent requirements to wear face masks and other PPE when visiting relatives are set to remain in place throughout the summer.
More than 42,500 care home residents have died from coronavirus in England and Wales since the pandemic began.
There were ten Covid deaths recorded among care home residents last week (right), the lowest number since the pandemic began. They are illustrated in the graph throughout the pandemic
Just one per cent of fatalities were also linked to Covid across the country. The Office for National Statistics said 99 out of 8,690 fatalities involved the virus
The ONS report said fewer than one in 100 deaths among care home residents were sparked by Covid last week.
They recorded 1,839 fatalities among residents from all causes, and only 10 of these were linked to the virus.
Overall, coronavirus deaths last week were down by more than half on the 21 recorded in the previous seven-day period.
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