No deaths involving Covid-19 have been registered for any residents living in Watford, Hertsmere, or Three Rivers over a three-week period.

Data published by the Office for National Statistics shows zero coronavirus deaths in the weeks ending August 7, July 31, and July 24 – although some deaths can take longer to be registered.

According to the ONS data published on Tuesday, the last time Covid-19 appeared on a death certificate for residents in Watford, Hertsmere, and Three Rivers was the week ending July 17.

Each area reported a single death in the week ending July 17.

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust had gone more than a month which recording any Covid-19 deaths, but NHS England confirmed on Sunday that a patient who had tested positive for Covid-19 passed away on August 15.

They were aged between 89 and 91 and had underlying health conditions.

Nationally, the ONS figures published this week show a total of 8,945 deaths were registered in England and Wales in the week ending August 7 - 157 fewer than the five-year average of 9,102.

This is the eighth week in a row that deaths have been below the five-year average.

Of these 8,945 deaths, 152 mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate – the lowest number of deaths involving Covid-19 since the week ending March 20 (103 deaths).

Just over 57,000 deaths involving Covid-19 have now been registered in the UK.

Figures published by ONS show that 51,935 of these deaths have occurred in England and Wales, with 4,213 in Scotland and 859 in Northern Ireland.

Cases

Yesterday, Hertfordshire County Council described the situation in Watford as “stable” after the rate of new cases in the town reached its highest since at least the beginning of July, according to daily data released on the government’s coronavirus dashboard.

Read more: Health chief describes Covid-19 situation in Watford as 'stable'

In the seven days up to August 14, Watford had a case rate of 22.8, equivalent to 22 new cases – with 16 of the cases in the northern area of the town.

It ranked the town 27th in a list of more than 300 local authorities.

The rate has now dropped slightly in Watford.

In the seven days to August 15, the rate is 19.7 – equivalent to 19 cases – and drops the town to 35th in the list.

The rate in Watford remains the highest in Hertfordshire and more than four times as high than Three Rivers.

The rate in Hertsmere in the seven days up to August 15 is 6.7 – seven cases – which is five less than the previous seven day period.

Three cases were identified in the Elstree and Aldenham area between August 8 and 14.

The latest rate in Three Rivers has also dropped just a bit to 4.3 – four cases.