At least 338 people have died in Wigan with Covid-19

The statistics recorded fatalities involving the disease which occurred up to June 19 but were registered up to June 27.

A total of 260 deaths occurred in the borough’s hospitals, with 68 in care homes, seven in residents’ houses and three in hospices.

In the most recent week for which the statistics are available, which ended on June 19, there were two deaths in hospitals with Covid-19 and three in care homes in Wigan.

The statistics for the entire year show that so far 77 per cent of the deaths with Covid-19 in the borough have occurred in hospitals, with 20 per cent in care homes.

The latter is a very slight rise on the figure Wigan Council director of public health Professor Kate Ardern gave to the Wigan Observer for the data which went up to the end of the first week in June.

The latest data, published on Tuesday, shows that across England and Wales there were 47,127 deaths involving Covid-19 occurring up to June 19 but registered by June 27.

Of those, 13,982 were registered in English care homes.

In absolute terms the UK has suffered one of the worst outbreaks of Covid-19 in the world, with only the USA and Brazil recording higher death tolls.

However, nationally and regionally there was also good news in the latest numbers.

Deaths registered in England and Wales for the most recent week fell below the five-year average for the first time since lockdown restrictions began to be put in place in March, the data showed.

There were also no excess deaths registered in the North West.

The ONS figures record all deaths which involve Covid-19 which have been registered.