Deaths across Scotland fall to pre-virus levels for first time since March.

First minister hails ‘very significant’ development at daily coronavirus briefing

The first minister has hailed the “real and sustained progress” on tackling Covid-19, after new figures show deaths across Scotland have fallen to pre-coronavirus levels for the first time since late March.

New weekly figures released by the National Records of Scotland (NRS) reveal that, as of June 28, a total of 4,155 deaths related to the virus were recorded across Scotland, with 35 recorded between June 22 and 28, a reduction of 14 from the previous week and the lowest weekly total since midMarch.

The total number of deaths recorded across Scotland has returned to preCovid-19 levels for the first time since late March, the data has shown.

A total of 1,006 people lost their lives to all causes between June 22 and June 28, compared to the previous fiveyear average of 1,026 – with 2% fewer deaths (20) registered in the last week compared to the average.

Speaking during her daily briefing, the first minister said the development was “very significant”.

She added: “The total number of deaths from all causes was 20 below the five-year average. This is the first time since March that the total number of deaths has been below the five-year average.

“Last week it was 46 higher than average and 11 weeks ago the number of deaths was 878 higher.”

Ms Sturgeon said the figures showed a “real and sustained progress” in tackling the virus but added that “every single death is a tragedy”.

Data released yesterday on NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect system showed that 1,398 cases were reported where an individual tested positive for Covid-19 between the day the system launched on May 28 and June 28.

Contact tracing has been completed for 1,343 cases with 1,871 contacts traced so far – at a rate of 1.4 people contacttraced per person on average.

The latest figures released by NRS show deaths involving Covid-19 account for 3% of all deaths, which has steadily fallen from a peak of 36% in the week of April 20 and from 5% in last week’s NRS figures.

Speaking during the briefing the first minister said the Test and Protect system was “operating well”, adding that she expects to see “much more pressure” in the system come winter when the public are more likely to experience seasonal cold and flu symptoms.

The statistics show there were two deaths recorded in Tayside in the last week and three in Fife.

Three deaths were registered in the north-east of the country– one in an Aberdeenshire care home, one in an Aberdeenshire hospital and one elsewhere in Aberdeen.

There was also one death recorded across the Highland health board area in the seven days up to June 28 and no new deaths recorded in Shetland or Orkney.

There have been no deaths recorded in the Western Isles since the pandemic began.

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This is the first time since March that the total number of deaths has been below the five-year average. NICOLA STURGEON

As of June 28, a total of 4,155 deaths related to the virus were recorded across Scotland, with 35 occurring between June 22 and 28.