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Nicola Sturgeon, 51, faces fresh calls to launch a coronavirus inquiry after Scotland recorded 23,370 deaths in the winter of 2021/21. The National Records of Scotland’s (NRS) data includes 4,330 so-called “additional” deaths and adds COVID-19 was the underlying cause for almost two-out-of-three of these fatalities.
The number of deaths connected to dementia and coronary heart disease also increased over the course of that winter.
Pete Whitehouse, director of statistical services at the NRS, said: “These figures show again the significant impact Covid-19 had on Scotland last winter.
“Compared to the average of the previous five winters, the winter of 2020/21 saw a 10 per cent higher level of mortality, with the majority of additional deaths being due to Covid-19.”
The data was released shortly after the Commons’ Health and Science Select Committees produced a joint report which highlighted the errors made by the UK Government since the coronavirus reached British shores.
But Scottish Labour pointed out how the First Minister’s Government had repeated many of these “damning errors” north of the border.
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Scottish Labour’s Health Spokeswoman, Jackie Baillie, said: “Nicola Sturgeon ignored the same warnings as UK Ministers and with the same tragic outcome.”
The Dumbarton MSP added: “At crucial points in the pandemic the UK and Scottish Governments were in lockstep – acting too slowly in response to the danger and failing to warn the public of the risk.
“But while England will benefit from the findings of this robust and detailed report, Scotland has been denied early findings of its own.”
A spokesperson from the Scottish Government said: “While this report is primarily concerned with the actions of the UK Government, we will consider its findings carefully as we continue to respond to the impact of the pandemic in Scotland.
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The report also suggested the UK should have enforced stricter border controls when cases started to appear in China, Iran, South Korea and Italy.
But Britain’s vaccine roll-out programme was lauded in the joint report.
“Globally it is one of the most stunning achievements in history,” said MPs.
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