Scotland sees higher number of average deaths for 13 weeks

Scotland has recorded a higher than average number of deaths for the 13th week in a row.

Deaths from all causes were 17% higher than the five-year average during the week from August 16-22, figures published by the National Records of Scotland (NRS) showed on Wednesday.

It comes as another 10,505 deaths were registered in Scotland where coronavirus was mentioned on the death certificate.

In the week 16 – 22 August, 41 deaths were registered that mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate, the same number as last week.

Twelve deaths were of people aged under 65, six were people aged 65-74 and there were 23 deaths of people aged 75 or over.

Twenty-eight deaths were male, 13 were female.

Edinburgh, Fife, Scottish Borders and South Lanarkshire had the highest numbers of deaths at council level last week with four each. In total, 20 council areas had at least one death.

The number of deaths from all causes registered in Scotland during the period was 1163.

Pete Whitehouse, director of Statistical Services, said: “The latest figures show that last week there were 41 deaths where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. This represents no change from the previous week.”

“Deaths from all causes were 17% higher than the five year average – the 13th week in a row where we have seen a higher than average number of deaths.”

The NRS statistics are published weekly and cover all deaths registered in Scotland where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

They differ from the lab-confirmed coronavirus deaths announced daily by the Scottish Government because the NRS figures include suspected or probable cases of Covid-19.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Tuesday that Scotland is now at a “fragile and potentially pivotal moment” in the fight against the virus as vaccinations have weakened the link between cases and serious harm but not completely broken it.

She also warned she could not rule out reimposing Covid restrictions as the number of new daily cases in Scotland hit the highest level ever.