Covid-related deaths in Scotland increase for fifth week in a row

Coronavirus deaths in Scotland increased by more than a third in the most recent week, figures have showed.

National Records of Scotland (NRS)revealed there were 83 cases where Coivid-19 was mentioned on someone's death certificate in the week ending July 10.

That is up from 61 the previous week - a rise of 36% - and marks the fifth week in a row that deaths have risen.

A person receiving a Covid-19 jag. Photo: Kirsty O'Connor/PA Wire

Overall, the number of coronavirus related deaths in Scotland has now risen to 15,098.

Of those who died in the week ending July 10, 52 were aged 75 or more, with 20 aged between 65 and 74 years old, while 11 were under the age of 65.

The majority of deaths occurred within hospitals, with 68 in such a setting, while nine took place within care homes. There were also six people who died at home or in another setting.

Covid-related deaths occurred in 25 out of the 32 local authority areas in Scotland over the week, with 14 in the City of Edinburgh Council area, seven in Fife and six in North Lanarkshire.

A total of 46 of the deaths over the week were women, while 37 were men, according to NRS.

Examination of the figures showed that the age standardised death rate for deaths involving Covid-19 was slightly higher in June 2022 (47 per 100,000) than it had been to May 2022 (46 per 100,000).

Throughout the pandemic, the highest rate was 585 deaths per 100,000 people in April 2020.

Analysis also showed that more than nine out of 10 Covid-related deaths were amongst those with pre-existing medical conditions.

Of the 15,047 deaths involving Covid-19 that were recorded between March 2020 and June 2022, 93% (14,022) had at least one pre-existing condition, NRS found - with just under one quarter having either dementia or Alzheimer's disease, making this the most common main pre-existing condition.

Pete Whitehouse, director of statistical services at NRS said: "The latest figures show that last week there were 83 deaths where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. This is 22 more deaths than the previous week.

"The number of deaths from all causes registered in Scotland in the latest week was 1,089, which is 62, or 6%, more than the five-year average."