Coronavirus deaths in Merseyside increased over recent weeks despite it falling across the UK, new figures show.
The region was previously classed as a "hotspot" for the virus that has swept across the world in recent months but we are finally beginning to seen an improvement across Britain.
Cases of COVID-19 and the amount of deaths have significantly decreased but the overall death toll in the UK was over 53,000 on the week ending June 12.
Unfortunately in Merseyside, new figures show the number of deaths per week has risen as the total continues to fall nationally.
In the week ending June 12, some 26 deaths were coronavirus related in Merseyside, according to figures released on Tuesday by the Office for National Statistics.
That was up from 16 deaths the week before, but down from 60 deaths the week before that.
The news however, is that the number of deaths each week has been much lower that the week ending April 17, when Merseyside reached 324 deaths in just seven days.
In Merseyside, on the week ending June 12, there were 15 deaths in hospitals, a rise from nine a week before, and eight deaths in care homes, up from six.
The figures are based on the number of deaths registered up to June 20, where Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate.
Overall, there have been 1,585 deaths across Merseyside involving Covid-19 between the start of the outbreak and June 12.
Of those deaths, 1,025 took place in hospital while 452 were in care homes.
There were also 75 deaths recorded at home, 15 in hospices, 10 in other communal establishments, and eight elsewhere.
Other communal establishments include prisons, halls of residence, hotels, and sheltered accommodation, while elsewhere covers deaths outside and people declared dead on arrival at hospital.
Separate figures from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), show six deaths involving coronavirus in care homes in Merseyside in the week ending June 19.
That was up from three the week before.
Notifications about deaths in care homes are typically provided to the CQC within two to three days of death and are included based on the statement from the care home provider, so the person who died may not have had a medical diagnosis or a test result and Covid-19 may not have been mentioned on the death certificate.
In total, 426 Covid-19 related deaths were notified to the CQC by care homes between April 10 and June 19.
Figures published by Public Health England show, in the week ending June 14, there was one new suspected or confirmed outbreaks in care homes in Merseyside.
There have been 171 suspected or confirmed Covid-19 outbreaks reported in care homes in Merseyside between March 9 and June 14.
That means 41% of the 413 care homes in the area have had cases.
Up to June 12, there had been 53,009 deaths registered across the UK with Covid-19 on the death certificate.
That included 45,793 deaths in England, 4,070 in Scotland, 2,351 in Wales, and 795 in Northern Ireland.
Of the deaths registered in the week ending June 12, 1,114 mentioned Covid-19, the lowest number of deaths involving Covid-19 in the past 10 weeks.
