No COVID-19 deaths have been recorded at East and North Herts NHS Trust hospitals since June 10, the longest period without a death since early March.

The trust, which runs Lister Hospital in Stevenage and the New QEII in Welwyn Garden City, has now gone nearly two weeks without recording a COVID-19 death, a sure signal that the virus is on the retreat in Hertfordshire, as it is nationally.

Yesterday, the coronavirus death toll rose by 15 – the lowest daily rise since mid-March.

Overall, the trust has recorded 161 COVID-19 related deaths, including Lister GP Dr Abdorreza Sedghi, who sadly passed away in May.

By way of comparison, 275 deaths have been recorded at the Luton & Dunstable NHS Trust, while West Herts – which oversees Watford General, and St Albans City hospital – has seen 361.

The latest ONS weekly figures, released today, show that of the deaths registered in week 24, 1,114 mentioned COVID-19 – the lowest number of deaths involving COVID-19 in the last nine weeks, accounting for 11.2 per cent of all deaths.

*Interpretation of the latest data should take into account the fact that totals are likely to be updated in future releases for more recent dates.