FIFE recorded more COVID-19 deaths than anywhere else in Scotland last week.

A total of 21 people sadly passed away across the Kingdom with Coronavirus mentioned on the death certificate as a 'suspected' or 'probable' cause.

The number of deaths between October 18 and 24 in the council and NHS health board area is a rise of six from the previous week when 16 were confirmed.

The most recent figure takes the total number in Fife to 592 since the start of the pandemic, with 282 recorded in 2021.

The statistics from National Records of Scotland (NRS) revealed that there were 130 deaths in Scotland during the last seven-day period, with Fife's total the highest in the country ahead of North Lanarkshire (15) and Glasgow (14).

Pete Whitehouse, Director of Statistical Services, said: “The latest figures show that last week there were 130 deaths where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. This is 11 fewer deaths than the previous week.

“The number of deaths from all causes registered in Scotland in this week was 1,314, which is 252, or 24, more than the five year average.”

In total, 27 (out of 32) council areas had at least one death last week.

Of deaths involving COVID-19, 76 were male and 54 were female. A total of 108 deaths were in hospitals, 14 were in care homes and eight were at home or in a non-institutional setting.

NRS figures include deaths where ‘suspected’ or ‘probable’ COVID-19 appears on the death certificate.