During the current Winter 2023 vaccination programme a total of 766,567 Influenza (Adult 18+), 175,973 Influenza (Children 6 months to 17 years) and 568,369 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered to the Scottish population since 04 September 2023, according to the latest (19th October 2023) report published by Public Health Scotland

Information on vaccine uptake for the COVID-19 and influenza vaccine programmes is available via the Public Health Scotland – vaccination surveillance dashboard.

The number of acute Covid-19 admissions to hospitals has decreased to 258 from 275.

Hospital occupancy of patients with Covid has increased to 389 from 347

The RNA monitoring of Scotland’s waste water which is possibly the only remaining way to gauge the prevalence of Covid within the community shows fluctuating levels across the country. However, the results are affected by heavy rainfall.

The results for the area covered by the Kirkwall sewage system were last published on 10th of October and show declining but positive levels.

National Records of Scotland have published their report on weekly deaths (19th October 2023).

The provisional total number of deaths registered in Scotland in week 41 of 2023 (9th October to 15th October) was 1,175 (18 or 2% below the 5-year average).  There were 45 deaths mentioning COVID-19.

Those figures in more detail:

Deaths involving Covid:

• Age 45 -64: 5 deaths, 2 female, 3 male
• Age 65 – 74: 3 deaths, 1 female, 2 male
• Age 75 – 84: 15 deaths, 6 female, 9 male
• Age 85+ : 22 deaths, 10 female, 12 male

There were 4 deaths in Care Homes; 5 at Home/Non-Institutional Setting; and 36 in Hospital.

The 45 deaths involving Covid is the highest number since 1st May 2023. Of those 45, Covid was the underlying cause in 32 of them.

There were 1,175 deaths due to all causes, 18 less than the average taken over a 5-year period. There were excess deaths recorded in Cancer, +15.

Fiona Grahame