INVERCLYDE'S coronavirus death toll has risen for the third consecutive week.

Only five deaths were registered to August 9 across the whole of the country, including one at a care home in Inverclyde.

This takes the total number of fatalities in the district to 120.

Inverclyde's death rate remains the worst in Scotland at 15 per 10,000 people.

Most of the local Covid-19 patients, 67, have passed away in hospital while 40 have died in care establishments and 13 in their own homes.

A total of 4,213 deaths have been registered in Scotland where coronavirus was mentioned on the death certificate, say the National Records of Scotland.

The NRS will now end its weekly updates and switch to a monthly publication, with the next report available on September 16.

Pete Whitehouse of the NRS said: “Today’s publication shows a continuing decline in the number of people dying from Covid-19.

"Since the peak week in mid-April, when 661 Covid-19 related deaths were registered, today’s report shows the lowest weekly total for deaths since the first death was recorded in early March.

“As number of deaths from all causes have now thankfully returned to average levels and the weekly count of deaths involving Covid-19 continues to decline, NRS will from next week alter our approach to publication.

"Each month we will now publish a comprehensive and detailed analysis of Covid-19 related and all cause deaths.

"This decision by NRS to halt production of our current detailed weekly publication of Covid-19 related deaths, will be reconsidered should there be a significant change in the spread or impact of Covid-19.”