Coronavirus: Fewest weekly deaths in England and Wales since lockdown began, latest figures show

‘Potentially large number’ of asymptomatic cases of the virus, new ONS figures also reveal

England and Wales have recorded the lowest weekly number of deaths from coronavirus since lockdown was imposed towards the end of March, the latest figures show.

There were 152 fatalities from Covid-19 in the week up to 7 August, according to the Office for National Statistics.

It marks the lowest number of deaths from the disease since the week ending 20 March saw 103 fatalities – just before Boris Johnson brought in strict lockdown measures.

The new figures also show that the UK’s true death toll – taking in up-to-date statistics from Scotland and Northern Ireland – has now surpassed 57,000 people, based on death certificates mentioning Covid-19.

Despite concerns in recent weeks about the creeping rise in coronavirus infections, the latest figures show a steady fall in the number of deaths. The number of fatalities in England and Wales involving the virus decreased for the 16th week in a row.

Less than a third of people testing positive for coronavirus reported having symptoms, new figures have shown.

An analysis by the ONS found that only around 28 per cent of people testing positive for Covid-19 reported any evidence of symptoms at the time of their swab test or at either the preceding or subsequent tests.

The remaining 72 per cent of positive cases either did not report having any of the specific or general symptoms on the day of their positive swab test, preceding or subsequent swab tests or did not answer both questions, the ONS added.

It said that the findings suggested that there was a “potentially large number” of asymptomatic cases of the virus.

The latest ONS figures also shows a worrying rise in the number of adults experiencing depression since the pandemic hit.

The data showed that nearly one in 10 British adults suffered some sort of depression in the nine months until March 2020. But when the same group of 3,500 participants were assessed again in June, the figure had risen to 19.2 per cent – nearly one in five adults.

The majority (84 per cent) of people experiencing some sort of depression cited stress and anxiety affecting their wellbeing and 42 per cent said their relationships had been affected.

Tim Vizard, from the ONS, said: “Adults who are young, female, unable to afford an unexpected expense or disabled were the most likely to experience some form of depression during the pandemic.”

It comes as health secretary Matt Hancock is set to announce on Tuesday that the government’s new Institute for Health Protection will replace Public Health England in handling all aspects of the coronavirus response. Baroness Dido Harding, who runs NHS Test and Trace, will lead the new organisation.