Quarter of all coronavirus deaths in Scotland happened in care homes

15 April 2020, 12:48

Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed a number of people have died in care homes in Scotland. Picture: PA

By Kate Buck

A quarter of all deaths in Scotland relating to coronavirus happened inside care homes, the National Records of Scotland have revealed.

It means the total death toll in Scotland now stands at now stands at 962, after community deaths were added to the figures.

Almost 70 per cent of those who have died were over 75.

The First Minister said that 433 care homes have recorded a case of Covid-19 since the beginning of the outbreak.

Of the total deaths, 24.6 per cent (237) were in care homes, 62 per cent (596) were in hospitals, 13.3 per cent (128) were in homes or other places listed as non-institutions and one was listed as other.

The NRS figures are published weekly, in contrast to the daily figures released by Health Protection Scotland (HPS), which only count laboratory confirmations of coronavirus and had recorded 699 deaths as of Wednesday.

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The new figures raise concerns the death is higher than has been reported. Picture: PA

A total of 608 deaths relating to Covid-19 were registered between April 6 and April 12, more than double the figure of 282 from the week before.

There has also been a rise in the total number of all deaths registered in Scotland for this time of year.

The total number of all deaths registered in Scotland from April 6 to April 12 was 1,696, whereas the average number of deaths registered in the same week over the last five years was 1,100.

The latest figures come as there have been growing calls for the UK government as a whole to be more efficient in reporting the numbers of deaths inside care homes.