The number of deaths involving coronavirus registered each week in England and Wales has climbed to its highest level for three months.

A total of 327 deaths registered in the week ending July 23 mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This is up 50% on the previous week, and is the highest number since 362 deaths were registered in the week to April 16.

Deaths dipped as low as 84 in the week to June 11.

The latest figures reflect the impact of the third wave of Covid-19, which began in the UK in May and led to a sharp increase in the number of new cases of coronavirus as well as a smaller rise in hospital patients.

The number of new cases has fallen in recent weeks, but this is yet to be reflected in the data for deaths, due to the length of time between someone getting Covid-19, becoming seriously ill and then dying.

While the number of deaths in the latest week is the highest for three months, it is still well below the level seen at the peak of the second wave.

Some 8,433 deaths involving Covid-19 were registered in England and Wales in the week to January 29.

The total number of deaths registered in England and Wales in the week to July 23 was 7.2% above the pre-pandemic five-year average, the ONS said.

The number has not been this far above the average since the week to February 26.

Some 35 care home resident deaths involving coronavirus in England and Wales were registered in the week to July 23, up from 27 deaths in the previous week.

In total, 42,649 care home residents in England and Wales have had Covid-19 recorded on their death certificate since the pandemic began.

The ONS figures cover deaths of care home residents in all settings, not just in care homes.

Separate data released by the ONS on Tuesday showed that during the first wave of Covid-19, around 200 neighbourhoods in England and Wales recorded at least double the number of deaths that would be expected for that time of year.

Extra deaths, or “excess deaths”, are the number of deaths that are above the average recorded during the pre-pandemic years of 2015-19.

Crabtree & Fir Vale in Sheffield had the largest number of excess deaths in the first wave, with 123 deaths between March and July 2020: 77 more than the average of 46, or an excess of 167%.

Bishop Auckland Central & West in County Durham had the second largest number: 95 deaths from March to July 2020, 56 more than the average of 39, or an excess of 144%.

During the second wave of the virus, from September 2020 to March 2021, the West St Leonards area of Hastings recorded 184 deaths, which was 65 more than the average of 119, a larger number of excess deaths than any other neighbourhood for this period.

Hadleigh in Suffolk had the second largest number: 136 deaths between September 2020 and March 2021, 57 deaths more than the average of 79.

Out of a total of 7,201 neighbourhoods, just 13 in England and one in Wales recorded no deaths due to Covid-19, where coronavirus was the main cause of death, in the period up to April 2021, the ONS said.

Most of these were in south-west England, including parts of Cornwall and Devon, along with some built-up areas such as Bristol and Leeds city centre.

One area of Manchester, Castlegate & Deansfield, also recorded no deaths due to Covid-19.

The only neighbourhood in Wales to have recorded no deaths due to Covid-19 by April 2021 was Llandudno Junction South & Llansanffraid Glan in Conwy.