FIGURES FROM OFFICE FOR NATIONAL STATISTICS SHOW FIFTH OF FATALITIES ARE IN TOWN CENTRE

THREE QUARTERS OF 72 PEOPLE ACROSS THE BOROUGH WHO LOST THEIR LIVES TO THE VIRUS DIED IN APRIL PEAK

A TOTAL of 72 people have died from Covid-19 across Atherstone and North Warwickshire between March and May of this year, according to new figures out today

The latest official data where the virus was listed as the cause of death has been released by the Office for National Statistics.

It shows in all but one area of the borough the mortality rates are now falling.

In Atherstone and Mancetter the numbers of deaths more than doubled between March and April.

In line with the national figure, April was the worst month – with 52 deaths in the whole borough representing nearly three quarters of recorded fatalities in the three-month timeframe.

The figures come as the borough has broken the 200 barrier for Covid-19 cases – 201 – at one of the highest rates per 100,000 population of any of its neighbouring authorities.

Death rates across North Warwickshire peaked in April , reaching 72.9 per 100,000 people then dropping to 18.4 per 100,000 in May.

Atherstone and Mancetter's figgurs mirrored that trend, recording four deaths in March, jumping to nine in April and falling dramatically to one in May – a total of 14.

Baddesley, Baxterley, Hartshill, Grendon and Wood End reported 11 deaths overall – one each in March and May and nine in April.

Coleshill and Water Orton had the highest number of deaths – 18 in total, and going from two in March to 13 the following month when fatalities peaked across the UK and back down to three last month.

Kingsbury and Curdworth recorded eight in total, with none in March and then a spike to seven in April and one in May.

The death tally for New Arley and Fillongley is 10 with no reported fatalities in March, eight in April and two last month.

Polesworth, Warton and Austrey have the lowest figures with nothing recorded in March, one in April and three in May.

The map, which requires users to enter their postcode, is careful not to reveal actual locations of the fatalities.

This time last month Nub News revealed eight people had died in Atherstone.

London had recorded the highest fatality rate in both March and April, with rates of 27.8 deaths per 100,000 population and 94.1 deaths per 100,000 respectively.

The local authority with the highest Covid-19 mortality rate in May was Preston in Lancashire, with a rate of 51.1 deaths per 100,000 people.

The total number of deaths in the UK occurring in March and April this year that were registered by May 15 was 147,785 – which is 43 per cent more than the average for the same time period over the last five years, according to the ONS.

Of the total number of deaths – 38,156 – a quarter involved Covid-19.

Numbers of infections in England continue to fall too, according to new figures published today.

Since the end of April, the totals have fallen from 5,600 new infections per day to 4,500. Nuneaton and Bedworth have now reported 460 Covid-19 cases – at the highest rate per 100,000 population of any of its neighbouring Midland authorities including Birmingham and Coventry. Its rate is 356.9 per 100,000 compared with North Warwickshire's 201 cases at 309.9 per 100,000, Solihull's 673 cases at 313.2 per 100,000, Birmingham's 3,301 cases testing positive at 289.2 per 100,000 and Coventry's 823 cases at 224.4 per 100,000. Warwickshire's total stands at 1,524 with a case rate per 100,000 of 266.9.

The UK total yesterday 291,409 (up 1,266 from the previous day) with our grim death toll standing at 41,279.

The 24-hour total death total increased by 151 people across the UK.

World cases have now topped the seven million mark – currently 7,199,554 – and the death tally is 408,737. Nearly half of those who have tested positive have now recovered (3,536,686).