An analysis of Covid-19 deaths and excess deaths - which compared countries in three different ways - showed the UK worse off than the US, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, and Japan.

On all three measures - recorded Covid-19 deaths per 100,000 people, excess deaths per 100,000 people, and excess deaths as a proportion of the usual level of deaths - the UK has been the hardest hit. Of the G7 nations, Germany, Canada, and Japan, have seen comparatively few deaths.

The UK had registered 65 Covid-19 deaths per 100,000 people, versus 58 for Italy, 44 for France, and 38 for the US.

Using "excess deaths" might help account for different measurement techniques, and the per-100,000 people number for the UK is 97, lower for Italy at 75, France just ahead of the US, with Canada, Germany and Japan at very low numbers.

A separate Oxford University study, using the same methods, analyses Europe's worst hit nations using percentage excess deaths as the key metric.

The number of deaths registered in the UK over one week has fallen below the five-year average for the first time since mid-March.

The decrease reflects a decline in coronavirus-related deaths, official data show.

Of 10,681 deaths registered in the week up to 19 June, 849 (8%) mentioned coronavirus.

This is the lowest number of deaths involving the pandemic virus since the week ending 13 March.

The number of deaths registered up to 19 June was eight below the five-year average for that week.

The total number of excess deaths in the UK since the coronavirus outbreak began stands at 65,132.

Grieving families who *represent 1,200 coronavirus victims on Saturday marched on Downing Street to tell Boris Johnson: “You can’t keep *running from us.”

They accused the Prime Minister and Health Secretary Matt Hancock of ignoring their demand for a public inquiry into the Government’s *handling of the pandemic.

More than 150,000 people have backed a petition by the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK group calling for an immediate probe.

But they have yet to receive a reply from Mr Johnson and his team *despite putting in their formal request a month ago.

The group, composed of hundreds of families who believe their loved ones’ deaths were preventable, want to see an immediate limited-scope inquiry which will expose any failings and provide valuable lessons to be learned for any second wave.

Yesterday a further 148 deaths in the UK were reported, bringing the oficial death toll to 44,798. Around 20,000 were in care homes in England and Wales and 2,000 in Scotland.