The number of Covid-19 infections in Scotland has fallen, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The ONS Covid infection survey estimates an average of 97,500 people were infected on any given day in the week up to 8 November – that’s about one in 55 people.
Figures from the National Records of Scotland also show there were 47 Covid deaths in the week ending 13 November, which is higher than the previous week.
A total of 16,052 people in Scotland have died with Covid since the outbreak began in March 2020.
This page analyses the key figures for the Covid pandemic in Scotland and is updated weekly.
Estimated cases of Covid-19
The ONS has been carrying out a Covid infection survey of randomly selected households in Scotland since September 2020.
Now mass testing has ended, it has become the best estimate of the extent of the coronavirus outbreak in Scotland.
How many people are in hospital?
The pandemic has created a huge load on Scotland’s hospitals.
At the peak of the outbreak in spring 2020, there were more than 1,500 Covid patients in hospital, with more than 200 being treated in intensive care.
Numbers reduced over the summer of 2020, but started to rise steadily again in the autumn. In January 2021, the number of patients with Covid in hospital went above 2,000.
During the Omicron surge in cases in early 2022, the total number of patients with Covid surpassed the 2021 peak. However, the numbers being treated in intensive care are lower than they were early in the pandemic.
The chart below shows patients in Scottish hospitals who have tested positive for Covid – not all of them are being treated for Covid illness.
Deaths from Covid-19
The first Covid-19 death in Scotland was reported by NHS Lothian on 13 March 2020.
The spring outbreak peaked in mid-April 2020 and then mainly declined until the summer, when deaths remained at a relatively low level.
The rate of new deaths rose again in the autumn of 2020 as the second wave of the pandemic took hold, finally peaking at the end of January 2021.
The number of deaths in subsequent waves of Covid infections peaked at much lower levels, but deaths are still occurring.
There are two ways to count total deaths from Covid-19.The National Records of Scotland (NRS) reports all death certificates that mention Covid-19, even if the person has not been tested for the virus.
The NRS also publishes data on excess deaths, compared with a five-year average.
Excess deaths from most causes rose in 2020 and in 2021.
The exception in both years has been deaths from respiratory diseases, which have seen lower than average excess deaths.
The vaccination programme
The first Covid-19 vaccinations in Scotland were administered on 8 December 2020.
The vaccines all require two doses, with some groups of people also eligible for winter boosters.
The latest data on vaccinations is not available. The following graph shows figures for 4 Nov.
