The UK's coronavirus hospital death toll has increased by 454 - the lowest rise on a Sunday for four weeks and down 34 per cent on the total a week ago.
England reported 410 new fatalities, Wales had 28, Northern Ireland recorded nine and Scotland had seven. By comparison, the tolls announced on recent Sundays were 622 on January 31, 682 on January 24, 671 on January 17, 573 on January 10, and 448 on January 3.
The highest increase on a Sunday was 710 on April 12 (Easter Sunday), when the UK was going through its first peak of the pandemic.
Sunday totals tend to be lower due to a lag in reporting weekend deaths. It is the latest sign that deaths are trending downwards and mirroring a recent fall in confirmed cases as the UK emerges from