There has been a huge drop in the COVID-19 death rate in Ayrshire, new figures show.
A total of 276 Ayrshire and Arran deaths have been linked to coronavirus since the pandemic began.
The National Records of Scotland revealed today in its weekly report that 14 people died between Monday, May 25 and Sunday, May 31 – down from 21 the previous week.
This is the smallest rise in reported deaths so far (five per cent).
The rate of COVID-19-related deaths has not increased since the week ending Sunday, April 19, when 53 people died.
Across Ayrshire, 44 per cent of deaths took place in care homes, while hospital deaths also accounted for 49 per cent of the figures.
In East Ayrshire, 70 people have died as a result of contracting COVID-19. In North Ayrshire, 101 have died and in South Ayrshire, 105 have passed away.
In South Ayrshire, more people have died in hospital (49 per cent) compared to care homes (47 per cent).
The majority of North Ayrshire deaths took place hospital (47 per cent) while 44 per cent took place in care homes.
In East Ayrshire, hospital deaths accounted for 51 per cent of COVID-19 fatalities, while 41 per cent of deaths occurred in care homes.
The new figures also mean Ayrshire has the fifth-highest death toll in the country.
Greater Glasgow and Clyde tops the figures with 1,262 deaths, while Lothian is second (673) and Lanarkshire third (534).
