Deaths in Scotland where COVID-19 is recorded on death certificate: FOI release

Information requested

You asked for the number of deaths in Scotland where COVID-19 is the only cause of death mentioned on the death certificate.

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. The reasons why we don't have the information are explained below.

The Scottish Government does not collect information on the number of deaths in Scotland where COVID-19 is the only cause of death mentioned on the death certificate.

However, you may wish to contact the National Records of Scotland at statisticscustomerservices@nrscotland.gov.uk, who may be able to help you. In Table 3 of their Deaths Involving Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Scotland publication (accessible here: Deaths involving coronavirus (COVID-19) in Scotland | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk)), the number of deaths where COVID-19 was the underlying cause is available, broken down by calendar week for both 2020 and 2021.

NRS also publishes data on COVID-19 deaths with no comorbidities on a monthly basis. Their latest monthly publication, for Week 2 (11 January - 17 January), is accessible here: Archive | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk). The relevant statistics, 'Main pre-existing medical condition in deaths involving COVID-19, between 1st March 2020 and 31st December 2020', are available in Figure 9, with the underlying data available in the Figure 9 Data tab. Deaths with 'none' in the Preexisting condition field indicate those that did not involve any pre-existing health conditions.

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