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A total of 7,320 deaths recorded in England and Wales in the week ending February 5 mentioned the coronavirus on the death certificate, according to new data.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) figure is down 13% from 8,433 deaths in the week through January 29.
About 42.6% of all deaths recorded in England and Wales in the week to February 5 mentioned COVID-19 on the death certificate, the third highest proportion recorded during the pandemic.
Of the 7,320 coronavirus-related deaths, the disease was the underlying cause of death in 89.1% of them.
By comparison, of the 4,993 deaths that involved influenza and pneumonia, those illnesses were the underlying cause of death in just 6.1% of those deaths.
Deaths from coronavirus declined across all regions, with south-east England seeing the largest decline.
But the number of deaths from all causes in all regions of England remains above its five-year average – the highest seen in London at 69.8%, compared to 10.7% in Yorkshire and Humber.
There has also been an increase in the number of people with antibodies to the virus that causes COVID-19, indicating that they have been infected with the disease or have been vaccinated.
One in five people in England has antibodies, the ONS found.
That proportion rises to one in seven in Wales and Northern Ireland, and an estimated one in nine in Scotland.
Older people were more likely to have antibodies in England.
But in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the highest rates were seen among younger adults.
Esther Sutherland, chief statistician for ONS, said: “Antibody positivity rates have increased in all four nations and the effects of vaccination programs have started to show, especially in older age groups.”
Up to now more than 15 million people have been vaccinated against the coronavirus, and the UK government said that a coup has now been offered to all of the four main priority groups.
the Next objective is that the remaining five priority groups are offered a vaccine by the end of April, and then all remaining adults in the UK by the fall.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce a planned roadmap to get out of the lockdown starting Monday, saying he hopes to allow schools to reopen from March 8.
