Weekly registrations of deaths involving Covid-19 in Wales have dropped to zero for the first time since the pandemic began, new figures show.
None of the 573 deaths registered in Wales in the week ending June 18 mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The last time this happened was in the week ending March 13, 2020. The following week, to March 20, saw two Covid-19 deaths registered in Wales. Since then, there have been deaths involving Covid-19 registered in Wales every week.
Read more: Coronavirus infection rates, cases and deaths for all parts of Wales on Monday, June 28
The number peaked at 413 during the first wave of the virus, in the week to April 24, and at 467 during the second wave, in the week to January 15.
The total number of deaths involving Covid now stands at 7,899 in Wales, with the last occurring on June 5.
However, the latest ONS figures suggest a different trend in England. There, the number of registered deaths involving Covid-19 stood at 102 in the week to June 18, up from 83 the previous week.
It is the first time the total for England has been above 100 since the week to May 14, when registrations were affected by delays caused by the bank holiday on May 3.
However, this is still a very low level compared with the peak of the first and second waves of the virus.
The total number of deaths registered in England in the week to June 18 was 8,874 - 0.8% above the average for non-pandemic years.
Some 21 care home resident deaths involving Covid-19 in England were registered in the week to June 18, up from 14 in the previous week.
This means 42,546 care home residents in England and Wales have now had Covid-19 recorded on their death certificate.
The ONS measure of deaths, which includes deaths in all settings, including people's homes and in hospices, is seen as giving the fullest picture. It includes cases when doctors suspect Covid is a contributory factor as well as those when Covid is the confirmed underlying cause of death.
We know already that deaths due to Covid have dropped significantly, with ONS analysis for May showing it had become the 31st leading cause of death in Wales.
Ministers expect Covid case numbers in Wales to peak in July in the third Covid wave, as health officials watch closely for any rise in hospital numbers.
