The weekly number of coronavirus deaths worldwide has fallen to levels unseen for almost a year, according to an AFP count based on official national figures.

The 53,245 deaths recorded worldwide between September 27 and October 3, an average of 7,606 each day, showed that the global pandemic continues the downward trend that began at the end of August, after a peak of around 10,000 deaths per day.

The new weekly death toll figure is the lowest recorded since the period between October 31, 2020 and November 6, 2020.

Over the last month, the number of Covid-19 related deaths has fallen by almost a quarter, as vaccination campaigns make progress.

Since the virus was first discovered in China in late 2019, around 4.8 million people have died of Covid-19 around the world.