RENFREWSHIRE has recorded a sixth consecutive week without a death from Covid-19.

Latest figures released by the National Records of Scotland, for the week ending June 13, show the total number of fatalities in the area since the pandemic began more than a year ago remains at 525.

Only six of Scotland's 32 council areas had a Covid death last week.

Two lives were lost in South Lanarkshire, with one death in each of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, East Dunbartonshire, Glasgow and North Ayrshire.

The figures include all fatalities registered where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate and, as this includes suspected or probable cases, it differs from the lab-confirmed coronavirus deaths announced daily by the Scottish Government.

Across Scotland as a whole, the death toll now stands at 10,137.

Renfrewshire is currently in Level 2 of the Scottish Government's coronavirus restrictions and it was announced yesterday that plans to ease these on June 28 are likely to be postponed for three weeks.

It means restrictions on local pubs, cafes, restaurants and hotels could be in place until the middle of July.

In a statement at the Scottish Parliament, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said caution is needed to provide extra time to push ahead with vaccinations.

She added: “Given the current situation and the need to get more people fully vaccinated before we ease up further, it is reasonable to indicate now that I think it unlikely that any part of the country will move down a level from June 28.

“Instead, it is likely that we will opt to maintain restrictions for a further three weeks from June 28 and use that time to vaccinate, with both doses, as many more people as possible.

“Doing that will give us the best chance, later in July, of getting back on track and restoring the much greater normality that we all crave.”