The First Minister has hailed the “real and sustained progress” on tackling Covid-19, after new figures show deaths across Scotland have fallen to pre-coronavirus levels for the first time since late March.
New weekly figures released by the National Records of Scotland (NRS) reveal that, as of June 28, a total of 4,155 deaths related to the virus were recorded across Scotland, with 35 recorded between June 22 and 28, a reduction of 14 from the previous week and the lowest weekly total since mid-March.
The total number of deaths recorded across Scotland has returned to pre-Covid-19 levels for the first time since late March, the data has shown.
A total of 1,006 people lost their lives to all causes between June 22 and June 28, compared to the previous five-year average of 1,026 – with 2% fewer deaths (20) registered in the last week compared to the average.
She added: “The total number of deaths from all causes was 20 below the five year average. This is the first time since March that the total number of deaths has been below the five-year average.
“Last week it was 46 higher than average and 11 weeks ago the number of deaths was 878 higher.”
Ms Sturgeon said the figures showed a “real and sustained progress” in tackling the virus but added that “every single death is a tragedy”.
Data released on Wednesday on NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect system showed that 1,398 cases were reported where an individual tested positive for Covid-19 between the day the system launched on May 28 and June 28.
Contact tracing has been completed for 1,343 cases with 1,871 contacts traced so far – at a rate of 1.4 people contact traced per person on average.
The latest figures released by NRS show deaths involving Covid-19 account for 3% of all deaths, which has steadily fallen from a peak of 36% in the week of April 20 and from 5% in last week’s NRS figures.
Speaking during the briefing the First Minister said the Test and Protect system was “operating well”, adding that she expects to see “much more pressure” in the system come winter when the public are more likely to experience seasonal cold and flu symptoms.
The statistics show there were three deaths registered in the north-east: one in an Aberdeenshire care home, one in an Aberdeenshire hospital and one elsewhere in Aberdeen.
There was also one death recorded across the Highland health board area in the seven days up to June 28 and no new deaths recorded in Shetland or Orkney.
There have been no deaths recorded in the Western Isles since the pandemic began.
In Tayside a total of two deaths has been recorded in the last week and three in Fife.
Four deaths linked to Covid-19 recorded in north and north-east in the past week, new figures show
The First Minister also used Wednesday’s briefing to give an update on the latest daily figures, revealing there had been one death from the virus in the last 24 hours.
A total of eight confirmed cases have been reported since Tuesday, bringing the total of confirmed cases across Scotland to 18,259 since the pandemic began.
There was a total of 785 people in hospital as of Wednesday, a decrease of 100 since Tuesday, and 17 people were in intensive care.
‘Heartbreak of many families’
Pete Whitehouse, director of statistical services, said the figures represent the “heartbreak of many families across the country who have lost loved ones”.
He added: “Since the peak in mid-April, the number of registered Covid-19-related deaths has fallen for nine successive weeks.
“In the week ending June 28, 35 Covid-19-related deaths were registered, representing the second smallest weekly total since the start of the pandemic in Scotland.
“This week also marks the first time since the start of the pandemic in Scotland that the total number of deaths from all causes is below the five-year average for this time of year.
“Producing these statistics, alongside the other important evidence being made available by the Scottish Government and Health Protection Scotland (HPS), provides vital information to help understand the progression and impact of the virus in Scotland.”