THE number of deaths in East Renfrewshire rose by almost 30 per cent during the first three months of the Covid-19 lockdown, the Barrhead News can reveal.

Figures for April to June show that 311 people died in the area during that time, compared to 242 deaths for the first three months of this year.

The number of births registered by parents dropped from 181 to 40 because council offices were closed, while marriages fell from 40 to just two as a result of restrictions on guest numbers and social distancing.

Latest figures from the National Records of Scotland (NRS) show that one in five of all deaths between April and June could be linked to the coronavirus.

A rise in people dying from cancer, dementia and diabetes also led to the 28 per cent rise in East Renfrewshire fatalities.

Most deaths in the area involved people over the age of 70 and none of those who passed away was under the age of 25.

Experts at Age Scotland have expressed concern over the rise in excess deaths from dementia, diabetes and other causes during lockdown.

Scotland’s leading charity for older people is calling for an investigation into the causes to identify whether the removal of social care packages or reduced access to medical care contributed to this.

Brian Sloan, Age Scotland chief executive, said: “There is a clear need for further investigation. Not only have older people borne the brunt of the health impact from coronavirus but they have also been at greater risk of death from other causes, such as dementia and diabetes.

“While it’s hard to speculate on the reasons, it’s likely there is a link to the pandemic. We know that health and social services were under a huge strain during these months and many people were reluctant or unable to seek medical assistance.

“Each of these deaths is a devastating loss for their family and friends. We urgently need to look at the reasons for these excess deaths and ensure that every person is able to access the health and social care they need.

“As we go into winter, we need to ensure that the NHS and social care providers have the resources and support they need.”

Julie Ramsay, of NRS, added: “The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the number of deaths we normally see at this time of year.

“Covid-19 has also impacted the number of marriages. Similarly, far fewer births were recorded, as this period coincided with a postponement of the registration of births.

“We are likely to see a large increase in the number of birth registrations in the next quarter.”

Overall, the population of East Renfrewshire remained steady during April to June, with 95,530 people living in the area.

Of that total, 45,708 are male and 49,822 are female.