The number of weekly deaths involving coronavirus in England and Wales fell by almost a third in a week and reached its lowest level for seven weeks.
But the data also revealed deaths linked to Covid-19 in the UK now number just under 50,000.
Official figures show there were 2,589 deaths involving coronavirus in England and Wales registered in the week ending May 22atistics (ONS) said.
This is down 32 per cent from the previous seven days, with 3,810 deaths involving coronavirus registered in the week ending May 15.
The ONS said there were 12,288 deaths registered in England and Wales in the week ending May 22 – a fall of 2,285 from the previous week but still 2,348 more than the five-year average.
There were 1,289 excess deaths in care homes during the seven days, compared with the five-year average, and 24 fewer deaths in hospitals.
In total, the ONS said there have been 286,759 deaths to date in England and Wales – 51,466 more than the five-year average.
Of the deaths registered by May 22, 43,837 mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate – 15.3 per cent of all deaths.
Detailed analysis on non-Covid-19 deaths will be published by the ONS on Friday.
The proportion of deaths in care homes involving coronavirus fell to below a third in the week ending May 22.
Some 32.5 per cent of all deaths in care homes involved Covid-19 during the seven days, compared with 37.2 per cent the week before.
Meanwhile, the number of deaths involving Covid-19 in the UK is just under 50,000, according to the latest available data.
ONS figures show that 44,401 deaths involving Covid-19 occurred in England and Wales up to May 22 (and had been registered up to May 30).
The latest figures from the National Records of Scotland, published last week, showed 3,779 deaths involving Covid-19 had been registered in Scotland up to May 24.
And the latest figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, also published last week, showed 716 deaths involving Covid-19 had been registered in Northern Ireland up to May 27.
Together these figures mean that so far 48,896 deaths have been registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, including suspected cases.
A further 819 hospital patients in England who had tested positive for Covid-19 died between May 23 and 31, according to figures published on Monday by NHS England – which, together with the total figure of 48,896 registered deaths, indicates the overall death toll for the UK is now just over 49,700.
