The United Kingdom has recorded zero daily Covid deaths for the first time since the summer.
It is an historic milestone for the UK after a year marked by tragedy for thousands of families up and down the country.
The death toll was confirmed in Tuesday's official government coronavirus dashboard data update.
The tally covers the number of deaths reported to health authorities in the last 24 hours within 28 days of a positive test in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Daily death rates have typically been lower throughout the pandemic following weekends, and the latest total comes after a Bank Holiday long weekend.
However a zero total has has only once before been recorded since lockdown was introduced, with the milestone last reported on July 30 last year but these figures are based on people who died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19.
On July 30 last year, the Government announced the number of people who had died after testing positive for Covid-19 had increased by 38.
This was under a different system of counting and reporting, before the current 28-day cut-off had been introduced, so this figure is not comparable with the way deaths are reported now.
The Government's dashboard also shows that even though zero deaths were reported on July 30, 10 deaths actually took place on that date.
This reflects the fact that deaths can take several days to be confirmed and officially recorded.
The tally covers all settings - including care homes, hospitals and the wider community.
While the death toll stands still today, thousands grieve the 127,782 lives lost during the some 14 months since the virus first arrived in the UK.
Public Health England medical director Dr Yvonne Doyle said: "It is encouraging to see death rates staying low. However, cases have been rising recently and many people still need to receive either one or two doses of the vaccine.
“You can help to keep the virus under control, practise ‘hands, face, space, fresh air’ and get the vaccine as soon as you are offered.”
Today's significant figure comes as the UK is poised to enter the final stages of the government's roadmap out of lockdown.
Nearly 40million people nationwide have received a first dose of a Covid vaccine, with the rollout extending to younger adults over recent weeks.
More than 25million have received two jabs.
Boris Johnson has vowed that all adults will receive at least one dose of the jab by the end of July.
On Bank Holiday Monday, crowds of young people eager for jabs queued at Twickenham Stadium in the sunshine in London as vaccines were offered to all over-18s for one day only.
The walk-in centre was set up for residents of north-west London in response to an increase in the number of cases in the area.
The Prime Minister hopes to ease the final layer of restrictions on June 21, reopening sectors shut throughout the pandemic - such as mass events and nightclubs.
That goal has been threatened in recent weeks by concerns about fresh outbreaks in hotspots where the Indian variant of the virus has spread.
Health authorities introduced surge testing and boosted vaccine efforts in affected areas including Bolton, Blackburn with Darwen, and Bedford in recent weeks.
Despite fears the mutant strain could seed more outbreaks and plunge the UK into a third wave as restrictions unlock more in coming weeks - hospitalisation rates remain relatively low.
Another 133 patients were admitted to hospital in the 24 hours to Tuesday and 120 remained on life-saving ventilators in the UK's intensive care units, according to the latest official figures.
However hospitalisation numbers had lifted in recent days, and the UK reported more than 3,000 cases for a seventh day in a row on Tuesday, with 3,165 new infections confirmed.
Ministers and officials are in talks over how to tackle the B.1.617.2 strain, first found in India, which is being blamed for the rise in new cases.
Downing Street declined to address speculation some lockdown rules like mask-wearing could have to remain beyond June 21.
Despite the slowdown in deaths as the UK enters a period of hope in the summer months, leaders remain cautious.
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced her government would introduce a 'slight slowing down' of the easing of restrictions to allow more people to be fully vaccinated
The move has prompted speculation that Mr Johnson will follow suit by pushing back the June 21 lockdown easing under pressure from scientists.
In the past, England has followed Scotland's lead during the pandemic, adopting bans on mass gatherings, enacting school closures and face masks in shops rules last year.
However No10 gave no updates from the PM amid questions over how his government planned to tackle the surge.
Mr Johnson wed Carrie Symonds in a secret wedding ceremony in London on Saturday.
He said on Thursday: “I don't see anything currently in the data to suggest that we have to deviate from the road map. But we may need to wait.”
The PM's deputy official spokesman, in his only briefing of the week to journalists, said: “I haven’t spoken to the Prime Minister this morning.”
