Coronavirus: Most Scottish council areas record zero deaths

Hospital workerGetty Images

The number of Covid-related deaths recorded by National Records of Scotland (NRS) has declined for the eighth consecutive week.

In the period 15-21 June, 49 deaths were registered where the disease was mentioned on the death certificate.

More than half of Scotland's local authority areas recorded no Covid-related death.

Deaths from all causes in Scotland are now close to the five-year average for the same week of the year.

The total of 1,058 for the week is 39 above average.

For the first time in several weeks, a lower proportion of coronavirus deaths have taken place in care homes (41%) compared with hospitals (57%).

At the height of the Covid-19 crisis, care homes accounted for up to 60% of deaths.

The National Records of Scotland figures show that, as at 21 June, there had been a total of 4,119 deaths registered in Scotland where Covid-19 was mentioned.

NRS said most of the deaths were of older people, although the weekly death rate from all causes has returned to "close to average" in all age groups.

Since 16 March, there have been 2,131 more deaths of people over the age of 85 than would have been expected in an average year.

In the age group 75-85, excess deaths were 1,629.

There has been no overall increase in the death rate for children under 14.

The local authorities with no Covid-related deaths in latest weekly figures are:

  • Angus

  • Argyll and Bute

  • Dumfries and Galloway

  • Dundee

  • East Ayrshire

  • East Lothian

  • East Dunbartonshire

  • Highland

  • Midlothian

  • Moray

  • North Ayrshire

  • Orkney

  • Perth and Kinross

  • Shetland

  • Stirling

  • West Dunbartonshire

  • Western Isles

Since the coronavirus outbreak began, the proportion of deaths associated with the virus has risen to a peak of 36%, before falling back to 5% in the most recent figures.

Care homes have seen a total of 2,463 excess deaths.

But in hospitals, after an early peak, excess deaths have fallen significantly and are currently only 133 above the average for the three months from the middle of March.

Outwith hospitals and care homes, there have been 2,329 excess deaths.

NRS said cancer, circulatory deaths, and deaths from other causes were the most significant factors in these non-institutional settings.

More on this story