Deaths involving COVID-19 Week 41 – 5 to 11 October

As at 11 October, a total of 4,301 deaths have been registered in Scotland where the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was mentioned on the death certificate, according to statistics published by National Records of Scotland (NRS) today.

Between 5-11 October, 25 deaths were registered that mentioned COVID-19 on the death certificate, an increase of 5 from the previous week.

To place these statistics in context, the total number of all-cause deaths registered in the week 5-11 October was 1,065, 1% lower than the average over the previous five years.

Updated analysis, covering the period from March-September, on mortality by deprivation, pre-existing conditions and place of death has also been published today.

These key findings remain similar to those published last month, and show:

Adjusting for age, people in the most deprived areas were just over two times as likely to die with COVID-19 than those living in the least deprived areas.

Of those who died with COVID-19 between March and September, 92% had at least one pre-existing condition. 

The most common main pre-existing condition among those who died with COVID-19 was dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (31%) followed by ischaemic heart disease (13%).

Of the COVID-19 deaths registered to date 47% were in hospitals; 46% in care homes and 7% were at home or non-institutional settings.

After adjusting for age, COVID-19 related death rates were 43% higher for men than for women.

Pete Whitehouse, Director of Statistical Services, said:

“Every death from this virus represents loss and grief for families across the country.

“Although today’s figures show deaths involving COVID-19 are at a slightly higher level now than in July and August, they are still much lower than at the height of the pandemic

“The updated analysis shows that over the period of the pandemic, deaths from all causes in care homes were 31% above average, with the number of deaths returning to average levels in recent months. 

“Over the same period, deaths in home or in non-institutional settings were 44% above average, and have remained above average levels since.

“After an early peak, hospital deaths fell below average levels in early May and are now 6% below average levels.

“The analysis also continues to confirm that COVID-19 mortality rates are higher for males than for females and are higher in areas of highest deprivation.”