Scots Covid fatalities fall – but overall excess deaths highest since February

COVID deaths in Scotland have fallen for the first time in seven weeks.

The figures, from National Services Scotland, are the latest to indicate that the third wave of the pandemic is easing, with confirmed cases and the number of infected patients in hospital also declining.

According to NRS, there were 46 Covid deaths in Scotland in the week ending August 1 – down 10 on the previous week.

Of these, 10 deaths occurred in people aged 45 to 64, including four women and six men.

The remainder all occurred in people aged 65 and over, including 13 patients aged 85-plus and 14 aged 75 to 84.

However, there were also warnings that the overall number of deaths from all causes is significantly higher than would normally be seen at this time of year.

In total, there were 168 excess deaths in Scotland last week, compared against the five-year average for the same period.

Pete Whitehouse, director of statistical services, said: “NRS figures released today show that last week, there were 46 deaths where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. This is a decrease of 10 on the previous week’s figure and represents the first decrease in Covid-19 related deaths in seven weeks.

“However, the total number of deaths from all causes was 17 per cent per cent higher than we would expect for this period, and these ‘excess’ deaths are at the highest level since February.”

Excess deaths have been rising steadily in Scotland since late May, amid reports from A&E departments that they have been seeing an unusual number of patients presenting with complex and chronic conditions which had worsened during the Covid pandemic, including undiagnosed cancers.

Of the 168 excess deaths, 43 were circulatory deaths – such as fatal strokes or heart attacks – and 23 were dementia deaths.

There were also four excess cancer deaths, 11 non-covid respiratory deaths, and 50 from “other causes”.

A Public Health Scotland report on Covid, meanwhile shows that there were a total of 375 hospital admissions among patients testing positive for the infection in the week ending July 27, down from a third wave peak of 613. Of the 7,963 confirmed Covid infections in the week ending July 30, 46% were individuals who had not yet been vaccinated and 31% were in people who had had both doses.

Of the 305 Covid patients admitted to hospital whose vaccination status is known, fully-vaccinated patients outnumbered the unvaccinated by 144 compared to 136.

However, PHS noted that, measured by population rate, there were five admissions for every 100,000 people fully vaccinated compared to 14 for every 100,000 people unvaccinated.