Out of 516 total deaths in Havering between March 1 and April 17, 166 (32 per cent) were coronavirus-related.

Figures revealed by the National Office of Statistics (ONS) have shown that more than half of deaths in Romford South (54.5pc), six out of the 11, were coronavirus-related in the same time frame. The 17 day time period analysed here is shortly before the virus peaked in UK, thought to be around April 22.

In Collier Row and Park Farm, 10 out 22 (45.5pc) were Covid-19-related. Harold Park and Harold Wood, Cranham East and Hornchurch Marshes all in the five highest with 45-43pc of deaths owing to coronavirus.

Cranham East had the highest number of Covid-19 deaths in Havering, with 12 out of 27 deaths in total.

Significantly more Covid-19 deaths were men (64pc), with just 59 of 166 being women, as is the trend nationally.

The ONS has reported that people from more deprived areas have higher death rates. In Havering, this loosely corresponds.

The more deprived areas of the borough such as Harold Hill and Rainham have high percentages of deaths relating to Covid-19, 40 to 45pc.

The Havering statistics also corresponds with the national finding that urban areas have more deaths owing to the virus than rural areas, such as the example of Romford South, which has the highest percentage of Covid-19 deaths, the urban heart of the borough.

Other wards in town centres - Harold Hill, Collier Row and Hornchurch - have among the highest percentages as well.

Head of health analysis at the ONS, Nick Stripe said: “People living in more deprived areas have experienced Covid-19 mortality rates more than double those living in less deprived areas.

“General mortality rates are normally higher in more deprived areas, but so far Covid-19 appears to be taking them higher still.”

The 11 local authorities with the highest mortality rates were all London boroughs, with Newham, Brent and Hackney suffering the highest rates of coronavirus-related deaths.

Newham saw more than half (53pc, 208 out of 421) of its deaths owing to coronavirus in the same period, the highest percentage in the UK. Its worse hit ward saw Forest Gate West 10 of 11 of deaths owning to the virus.

“By mid-April, the region with the highest proportion of deaths involving Covid-19 was London, with the virus being involved in more than 4 in 10 deaths since the start of March.

“In contrast, the region with the lowest proportion of Covid-19 deaths was the South West, which saw just over 1 in 10 deaths involving coronavirus,” Nick Stripe said.

Figures exclude death of non-residents and are based on February 2020 boundaries.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) was the underlying cause or was mentioned on the death certificate as a contributory factor (ICD-10 codes U07.1 and U07.2).

Rates have been standardised using European Standard Population 2013 (ESP 2013) and are expressed per 100,000 people.