Royal Bolton Hospital has reported its first coronavirus-related death in almost a month.

One more patient has died after contracting covid-19, the first since July 9.

The patient passed away on July 28, but their death was not added to the official figures until today.

This is the first coronavirus-related death to be reported at the borough's hospital for 25 days, as the last patient's death was reported on July 10.

A total of 227 people have now died after contracting the virus at the borough's hospital.

So far, 2,010 people have tested positive for the virus across Bolton.

The latest death comes as official statistics showed weekly coronavirus deaths fell by more than a quarter within seven days and remain at the lowest level since before the lockdown.

England and Wales are experiencing fewer deaths than would normally be expected for the sixth week in a row, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

There were 217 deaths registered in the week ending July 24 involving Covid-19 – down a quarter from the previous week, when there were 295 deaths where coronavirus was mentioned on the death certificate.

The last time deaths involving coronavirus were so low was in the week ending March 20, before lockdown measures were introduced, when there were 103 deaths.

Overall deaths continued to stay slightly below the number usually expected at this time of year, based on an average from the previous five years.

There were 8,891 deaths registered in England and Wales in the week ending July 24 – 161 deaths fewer than the five-year average.

While deaths remain below the average, there were 68 more deaths registered compared with the previous week.

More than 56,600 deaths involving Covid-19 have now been registered in the UK.

Tuesday’s ONS figures show that 51,596 deaths involving Covid-19 had occurred in England and Wales up to July 24, and had been registered by August 1.

Equivalent figures for Scotland registered up to July 26 and Northern Ireland up to July 29 take the total to 56,651.

These are deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, including suspected cases.