Coronavirus latest: Deaths linked to Covid-19 rise to 6,686 as more than 110,000 have now received first vaccination in Scotland

The number of people who have died with confirmed or suspected coronavirus in Scotland has risen to 6,686.

The latest National Records of Scotland (NRS) figures show 383 deaths as being registered between December 21 and January 3 where Covid-19 has been mentioned on the death certificate.

They differ from the lab-confirmed coronavirus deaths announced daily by the Scottish Government because the NRS figures include suspected or probable cases.

In the week between December 21 and 27 (week 52) 200 deaths were registered, a fall of three from the previous week.

In week 53, December 28 and January 3, this fell to 183 but the NRS warned as there were fewer registrations than usual in these weeks due to public holidays death registrations are likely to be lower than the actual numbers of deaths in this period.

In the week to January 3 the majority of deaths – 111 (61%) – were in hospitals, with 63 in care homes and nine at home or in a non-institutional setting.

For this week, deaths were 138 (14%) higher than the five-year average for the same period, the same percentage as the previous week.

Three-quarters of the coronavirus-related deaths were among people aged 75 and older, with 14 (8%) in those aged under 65.

Greater Glasgow and Clyde registered the highest number of deaths linked to the virus the week to January 3 at 41, followed by NHS Lothian at 32 and NHS Lanarkshire at 28.

However, at council level Edinburgh was the highest in Scotland at 24, followed by Glasgow at 21 and Fife at 16.

Pete Whitehouse, NRS statistical services director, said: “These statistics show the continuing grief that the virus is causing in our communities.

“Although the statistics for weeks 52 and 53 show a slight fall in the number of Covid-19 related deaths, there were fewer registrations than usual in these weeks due to public holidays.

“As a result the number of registered deaths is likely to be an undercount from the impact of public holidays on registration activity. We expect figures to increase over the next fortnight as registration activity returns to normal.”

More than 110,000 receive first jab

More than 110,000 people in Scotland have received their first vaccination as of Sunday, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

The 113,459 figure only encompasses those who have received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, with the Oxford/AstraZeneca inoculation being first used on Monday.

The Scottish Government is also halfway through vaccinating residents in care homes, the First Minister said at the daily coronavirus briefing.

“That is extremely important, as you have just heard, more than a third of people who died from Covid last week died in our care homes,” she said.

“We very much hope that the vaccine will very soon start to significantly reduce the risk of care home residents becoming ill with the virus.”

Daily vaccination figures to be published

Nicola Sturgeon said more than 1,100 vaccination sites would be operational across Scotland next week.

Most of these will be GP practices and community premises.

She added that daily numbers of people receiving a jab would be published Monday to Friday from next week.

The First Minister has faced pressure from opposition politicians to ensure figures are regularly published.

A weekly publication by Public Health Scotland will also offer a more detailed breakdown of those who have been vaccinated.

“Vaccination ultimately is what will provide us with a route out of this pandemic, so we are absolutely determined to ensure that as many people as possible are vaccinated just as quickly as it is possible to do so,” the First Minister said.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said: “We’re pleased to hear that the Government have finally listened to the repeated Scottish Conservative calls for daily vaccination figures.

“Publishing these numbers will increase transparency and give the public confidence that progress is being made in our fight against Covid-19.

“We now need to hear more about how the rollout is progressing across local health boards to prevent any postcode lottery from emerging and to make sure every part of Scotland is getting the same access to the vaccine.”

The daily figures

Scotland recorded 78 deaths of coronavirus patients and 2,649 new cases in the past 24-hour period, according to official figures.

The death toll under this measure – of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days – is now 4,779.

Scottish Government statistics indicate the daily test positivity rate is 11.3%, up from 10.5% on Wednesday when 2,039 positive cases were recorded.

A total of 143,715 people have tested positive in Scotland since the start of the pandemic.

There are 1,467 people in hospital confirmed to have Covid-19, up 83 from 1,384 in 24 hours.

Of these patients, 100 are in intensive care – up by five on the previous day.

There were a further 660 confirmed cases in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, with 389 in NHS Lanarkshire and 357 in NHS Lothian.