Grim toll of Covid

12,000 test positive for virus in region and nearly 600 die

Figures reveal impact of virus on Lanarkshire

STEPHEN BARK

More than 12,000 people tested positive and almost 600 died from coronavirus in South Lanarkshire in 2020.

Figures published by the National Records of Scotland and released under freedom of information laws by Public Health Scotland reveal the full extent of how Covid-19 affected the region.

In total, 12,157 people tested positive last year and 598 died after testing positive for coronavirus – a fatality rate of 4.92 per cent.

However, the picture varied greatly across the region, from Clydesdale South, where just 35

people tested positive, to Halfway, Hallside and Drumsagard, where 402 people tested positive.

Three neighbourhoods – Lanark North East, Stewartfield East and Strathaven North – recorded no coronavirus deaths last year.

On the flipside, Burnbank South and Chantinghall was the worst hit neighbourhood from the coronavirus. In total, 251 people tested positive for coronavirus or 66.53 cases per 1000 residents – the highest in South Lanarkshire.

It saw the most Covid-19 deaths (34) and the highest death rate (nine per 1000) in South Lanarkshire and the second highest fatality rate in the region at 13.55 per cent.

Shawfield and Clincarthill was the worst hit area in Rutherglen and Cambuslang. In total, 217 people tested positive for coronavirus in the neighbourhood or 61.98 per 1000 residents – the second highest in South Lanarkshire.

The neighbourhood saw the most Covid-19 deaths (23), the highest death rate (6.57 per 1000) and the highest fatality rate in Rutherglen and Cambuslang, at 10.6 per cent.

Whitehills West saw the highest fatality rate in South Lanarkshire at 14.67 per cent after 27 people in the neighbourhood died from coronavirus.

It was the worst hit area in East Kilbride and Avondale after 184 people tested positive for Covid-19 or 45.61 cases and 6.69 deaths per 1000 residents.

As a whole, the Hamilton area (4573) recorded more cases of the virus than anywhere else in South Lanarkshire. That equates to 44.35 cases for every 1000 residents.

However, the total rate of cases in Rutherglen and Cambuslang (46.28 per 1000 residents) was higher despite only recording 2821 cases, because of the smaller population.

The Hamilton area also saw the highest number of Covid-19 deaths after 220 people died after testing positive. That equates to 2.13 per 1000 residents or a fatality rate of 4.81 per cent.

Rutherglen and Cambuslang recorded 2.05 deaths per 1000 residents or a fatality rate of 4.43 per cent.

East Kilbride and Avondale recorded 3205 coronavirus cases in 2020 and 190 deaths but despite recording a lower case rate (33.48 per 1000) and death rate (1.98 per 1,000), the area had the highest fatality rate at 5.93 per cent.

The figures show that Clydesdale recorded the lowest number of cases (1558), the lowest case rate (25.65 per 1000), the lowest number of deaths (63), the lowest death rate (1.04 per 1000) and the lowest fatality rate (4.04 per cent) in South Lanarkshire last year.