The latest official figures in the UK show that on May 31, no-one there was reported to have died having received a positive Covid test in the 28 days beforehand. By that measure, it's the first day since March 2020. BBC statistician Robert Cuffe writes that Monday was also a holiday in the UK, so reporting might be delayed for any deaths that did occur, but it's a great relief all the same.
It is a blessed relief for the government to announce no deaths in their daily figures for the first time since the pandemic got going. There are always ifs and buts. Today's deaths tell us what was happening with infections a month ago and, right now, it looks like the virus is on the rise again from its current low base. And the daily count isn't a perfect picture: some people who died over the bank holiday may have their passing reported on Wednesday.
