New figures have revealed that a total of 50 people in Swadlincote and the surrounding areas lost their lives to Coronavirus-related illnesses between March and May.

And 30 of those occurred when the pandemic reached its peak in April.

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

All but one of the areas around Swadlincote now show that the mortality rate is decreasing.

The worst-hit area is Swadlincote North, including Midway and Newhall, which recorded 12 deaths, eight of them in April.

There were three deaths in centre of Swadlincote but nine in the area south of Swadlincote which includes Church Gresley.

Swadlincote East, including Woodville, reported five deaths.

But the area of Swadlincote West recorded 10 - while the Castle Gresley, Overseal and Coton regions saw 11 people fall victim to the virus.

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

Six weeks ago, Swadlincote Nub Nub News in gave the figures that had been released at the beginning of May Number of recorded deaths in Swadlincote and the surrounding area

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 on Friday.

Since the end of April, the totals have fallen from 5,600 new infections per day to 4,500.

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).