COVID-19 TRAGEDY TOLL NEARS 200
MSP CALLS FOR EXTRA HELP IN WAR ON VIRUS
Th e number of people who have died after falling ill with coronavirus in Renfrewshire has almost hit 200.
Four more people in the region died of Covid-19 in the week to June 7, bringing the tragic death toll to 198.
Almost half of those people from Renfrewshire died in a care home, with 96 people
passing away in residential care.
The death toll means the region remains in the top five counties worst hit by coronavirus in Scotland.
It has seen many more deaths than the Scottish average.
And last week Renfrewshire had three times as many deaths as Dumfries and Galloway per head of population and twice that of Perth and Kinross, Fife and Aberdeenshire.
The figures have been described as “tragic” by Neil Bibby MSP.
The MSP for West Scotland last month demanded the Scottish Government investigate why coronavirus has had a much more catastrophic impact on Renfrewshire than other areas.
He told the Express: “These figures and the tragic loss of life show the scale of the crisis here in Renfrewshire and with nearly 200 deaths, it is clear that sadly we are still one of the hardest hit areas in Scotland.
“This has had awful consequences for many local families and will have been stressful for many of our dedicated frontline workers.
“It is vital that we fully learn lessons as to why Renfrewshire and the West of Scotland has been disproportionately affected by this virus.
“This should be done quickly to be prepared for any second wave.
“Areas that have been hit hardest by coronavirus should also receive additional resources to help our communities recover and rebuild.”
He added: “The Health Secretary agreed with me over a month ago that it was more important for regional differences to be investigated but no report has yet been published.
“I would call again on the Health Secretary, Public Health Scotland and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to publish their analysis of the impact of the virus on our area as soon as possible”.
The near 200 death toll comes three weeks after the Express revealed that people living in places such as Ferguslie Park, Gallowhill and Foxbar are more than twice as likely to die from coronavirus than those in affluent areas.
Figures released by the National Records of Scotland showed that those living in areas of high deprivation were 2.3 times more likely to die that those living in wealthier postcodes.
Tragically, huge swathes of Paisley and its surrounding communities are among the most deprived in the country,
The four deaths recorded to the week ending June 7 matches the number recorded for the previous week.
However the four deaths is just a quarter of the deaths recorded four weeks ago when 17 people died over a seven-day period.
Of the 198 Renfrewshire people to die of the virus, 93 people passed away in hospital, 96 in care homes and nine at home.
These figures and the tragic loss of life show the scale of the crisis here