Coronavirus (COVID-19) data: definitions and sources

Measure

Sources, methods and things to note

The number of new cases is the number of individuals who have had at least one positive COVID-19 test result, and also instances of possible reinfections, where an individual tests positive 90 days or more after their last positive test

Data on this measure has been reported since 13 January 2022, following an update to the testing policy in Scotland (announced on 5 January 2022) whereby people who do not have symptoms of COVID-19 will no longer be asked to take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to confirm a positive Lateral Flow Device (LFD) result.  

This measure includes people with a confirmed COVID-19 infection by either a first PCR or LFD positive test, as well as possible reinfections, where an individual tests positive 90 days or more after their last positive test. LFD positive cases that are followed by a negative PCR result within 48 hours will be denotified.

Number of new cases reported daily is those reported to the Scottish Government from Public Health Scotland (PHS) in the previous 24 hours. The headline number of new cases includes PCR only cases, LFD only cases, and LFD with confirmatory PCR cases (this means the LFD result has been verified with a positive PCR test within 48 hours).

Please read our blog post for more information about the changes to reporting on COVID cases.

Number of people who have died with confirmed COVID-19 (daily deaths)

Public Health Scotland (PHS) determines confirmed COVID-19 deaths by linking the daily National Records of Scotland (NRS) file for newly registered deaths to testing data, and defines a confirmed COVID-19 death as an individual who dies within 28 days of their first positive COVID-19 laboratory report (PCR or LFD test), and also within 28 days of a possible reinfection, where they have tested positive 90 or more days after their last positive test. This is shown on the webpage as the daily number of new deaths and the total number of people who have died in Scotland having tested positive.

This daily number of new deaths registered does not signify that this was their date of death, owing to the time allowed for families to register deaths in Scotland.

This definition was updated on 31 July 2020 to align with the revised definition being used by PHS.

This definition was revised on 10 February 2022 to include LFD test results following the change in testing policy. Deaths identified using LFD test results are included in the cumulative total from 6 January onwards.

The definition was revised on 1 March 2022 to include possible reinfections. Deaths identified following possible reinfections are included in the cumulative total from the start of the pandemic.

The number of deaths that have been registered in Scotland where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate

% of the total COVID-19 registered deaths in care homes / hospitals / at home or non-institutional settings

This data from NRS include all deaths where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate (either as the underlying cause or as a contributory factor). The figure is therefore higher than the PHS figure above, where COVID-19 has been confirmed in a recent positive test.

The trend (weekly data) in registered deaths is available. 

More information on the difference between the daily measure from PHS and these figures from NRS can be found in the NRS publication.

The percentage of all registered deaths where COVID-19 is mentioned on the death certificate, since the start of the outbreak, by location of death is from the NRS publication linked to above. From 12 August, these percentages are updated monthly.

Measure

Sources, methods and things to note

Number of patients in hospital with recently confirmed COVID-19

This measure (available from 11 September and first published 15 September 2020) includes patients who first tested positive, within their current COVID-19 episode, in hospital or in the 14 days before admission. Patients stop being included after 28 days in hospital (or 28 days after the first positive test in this COVID-19 episode if this is after admission).

COVID-19 episodes include both first infections and possible reinfections. Possible reinfections are defined as individuals who test positive by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) or LFD (lateral flow device) 90 days or more after their last positive test.

This is based on the number of patients in beds at 8am the day prior to reporting, with the data extract taken at 8am on the day of reporting to allow 24 hours for test results to become available. Where a patient has not yet received a positive test result they will not be included in this figure. Patients who have been in hospital for more than 28 days and still being treated for COVID-19 will stop being included in this figure after 28 days.

All patients in hospital, including in intensive care, and community, mental health and long stay hospitals are included in this figure.

In line with the changes to the case definition to include Lateral Flow Device (LFD) positive results, boards started to use LFD results to identify COVID-19 patients from 9 February 2022.

NHS Boards started to include patients with possible reinfections in this measure from 7 March 2022.

Number of patients in ICU with recently confirmed COVID-19 (with length of stay 28 days or less)

NHS Boards provide Scottish Government with daily management information on the numbers of inpatients in Intensive Care Units (ICU) with COVID-19. A small number of NHS Boards have some combined ICU/HDU units and include information on patients in those units.

This measure (available from 11 September and first published 15 September 2020) includes patients who first tested positive, within their current COVID-19 episode, in hospital or in the 14 days before admission. Patients stop being included after 28 days in hospital (or 28 days after first testing positive if this is after admission).

COVID-19 episodes include both first infections and possible reinfections. Possible reinfections are defined as individuals who test positive by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) or LFD (lateral flow device) 90 days or more after their last positive test.

This is based on the number of patients in beds at 8am the day prior to reporting, with the data extract taken at 8am on the day of reporting to allow 24 hours for test results to become available. Where a patient has not yet received a positive test result they will not be included in this figure. Patients who have been in hospital or ICU for more than 28 days and still being treated for COVID-19 will stop being included in this figure after 28 days.

In line with the changes to the case definition to include Lateral Flow Device (LFD) positive results, boards started to use LFD results to identify COVID-19 patients from 9 February 2022.

NHS Boards started to include patients with possible reinfections in this measure from 7 March 2022.

NHS Boards provide Scottish Government with daily management information on the numbers of inpatients in Intensive Care Units (ICU) with COVID-19. A small number of NHS Boards have some combined ICU/HDU units and include information on patients in those units.

This measure (available from 20 January and first published 10 February 2021) includes long-stay COVID-19 patients who have been in ICU continuously for more than 28 days.

This measure includes patients who first tested positive, within their current COVID-19 episode, in hospital or in the 14 days before admission. Patients start being included once they have exceeded 28 days in in ICU (or 28 days after first testing positive if this is after admission).

This is based on the number of patients in beds at 8am the day prior to reporting, with the data extract taken at 8am on the day of reporting to allow 24 hours for test results to become available. Where a patient has not yet received a positive test result they will not be included in this figure. Patients who have been in hospital or ICU for 28 days or less are not included in this figure.

In line with the changes to the case definition to include Lateral Flow Device (LFD) positive results, boards started to use LFD results to identify COVID-19 patients from 9 February 2022.

NHS Boards started to include patients with possible reinfections in this measure from 7 March 2022.

COVID-19 patients admitted to hospital in the previous week

Number of new COVID-19 admissions to hospital each day where the patient’s first positive PCR or LFD test of the episode of infection (including reinfections at 90 days or more) for COVID-19 occurred up to 14 days prior to admission to hospital, on the day of their admission or during their stay in hospital. If a patient's first positive PCR or LFD test of the episode of infection is after their date of discharge from hospital, they are not included. The figure on the website is the total for the latest 7 days available.

Prior to 14 February 2022, LFD test results were not included in the hospital admission calculations. Prior to 4 March 2022, cases of reinfection were not included..

See the Public Health Scotland COVID-19 in Scotland dashboard for more information, and the underlying data.

The number of new COVID-19 patients admitted to ICU in the previous week is published daily by Public Health Scotland. This figure includes any patient who has tested positive for COVID-19 (confirmed by linkage to data) at any time in the 21 days prior to admission to ICU, or who have tested positive from the date of admission up to and including the date of discharge from ICU in Scotland. Counts do not include any COVID-19 suspected cases who have not yet been lab confirmed.

Number of inpatients discharged with confirmed COVID-19

NHS Boards provide Scottish Government with daily aggregate Management Information on the cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 inpatients that have been discharged.  A single figure counted since 5 March 2020 is provided each day by each Health Board. This counts discharges from hospital where patients are alive, and have had a positive COVID-19 lab test in the 28 days in the run up to discharge. Patient transfers to hospitals within/across health boards are excluded from this figure.

In line with the changes to the case definition to include Lateral Flow Device (LFD) positive results, boards started to use LFD results to identify COVID-19 patients from 9 February 2022.

Number of delayed discharges

The number of people delayed in hospital are reported by Health and Social Care Partnerships. The data provided here is the best available at this point in time, but may be subject to further minor updates following quality assurance checks.

This data is updated weekly (on a Wednesday) as of 22/07/2020.

Public Health Scotland also publish validated monthly delayed discharge data, released around 5 weeks after the end of the month.

Measure

Sources, methods and things to note

Number of care homes with a current case of suspected COVID-19

Proportion of all adult care homes with a current case of suspected COVID-19

This data is provided by the Care Inspectorate, who are notified of suspected COVID-19 cases by service providers.

Cases are self-reported by care providers and should be considered suspected COVID-19. Some cases may subsequently have a formal positive test, other cases after testing may prove not to be COVID-19 and some cases will not be tested. It is possible that not all cases have been reported by all care homes, or there may be a delay in reporting.

All data are based on the date notified to the Care Inspectorate rather than the date of the event, and there may be a lag between these dates.

This information is updated weekly as of 22/07/2020 (on a Thursday).

From 22 April onwards, the Care Inspectorate set-up a new notification for care homes to report when they no longer have a suspected case in their service. This mechanism are incorporated into the figures from 28 April onwards.

The Care Inspectorate carried out a data review at the end of June due to concerns not all homes were notifying when they no longer had suspect cases. This found that a substantial number of care homes classified as having a current suspected case(s) had not notified the Care Inspectorate of a new suspected case for at least 28 days. 28 days is twice the extreme incubation period for the virus and considered the safest estimate of when a home could be declared free of COVID-19.

On this basis, from 29 June the Care Inspectorate has revised the definition of care homes with current suspected case to exclude any home that have not notified of a new case of suspected COVID for at least 28 days.

Number of resident and staff confirmed Covid-19 cases in care homes in the latest week

This data is provided by Public Health Scotland (PHS) from testing data.

Information is based on specimen date, therefore there may be slight revisions to previous data.

Test results are reported to PHS from NHS diagnostic laboratories and the UK Government Testing Programme.

Care home residents are identified in the testing data using different data resources to enhance completeness; Community Health Index flag for care home residents, address of care home and information in the free text clinical field. Care home staff are also identified in the testing data. However, a small number may not be captured through these data sources. Information on whether residents or staff were symptomatic at the time of testing is not captured.

Number of care home staff and residents tested in the latest week

This data is provisional management information submitted to the Turas Care Home Management system by care homes. It details the number of people in care homes (i.e. staff and residents) tested in the last week.

Previously published data (until w/c 5th October) was based on management information submitted to the Scottish Government by NHS Boards. Due to the change in data collection, data reported from the last HB return (2nd- 8th October) is not directly comparable with the Turas information reported for w/c 5th October. This is due to a change in the reporting cycle and data capture.

The Scottish Government will no longer be publishing information on residents tested in care homes with no confirmed cases of COVID-19. Surveillance testing of staff in Care Homes is Scottish Government policy, whereas surveillance testing of residents in homes with no confirmed cases of COVID-19 is for local NHS Boards to determine.

Figures are an undercount in some cases because data was not captured for each adult care home. Scottish Government is still working with NHS Boards to refine data reporting and also data capture.

The data for individual NHS Boards reflect local circumstances and therefore comparisons should not be made between NHS Boards.

Measure

Sources, methods and things to note

Number of deaths of health and social care workers related to COVID-19

Health Boards and the Care Inspectorate notify the Scottish Government of individuals in the health and social care workforce who have died for reasons related to COVID-19. Cumulative totals are published weekly (on a Wednesday). The figures include those who may not have been at work for some time e.g. those ‘shielding’ at home. Even for those at work, it cannot be determined with certainty where COVID-19 was acquired. The notification of deaths by Health Boards and the Care Inspectorate is according to the information they have at the time – they may not have full details of each death available. The figures will exclude any deaths where they were unaware that this may have been due to COVID-19.

Number of NHS staff absent for COVID-19 related reasons

This data is provided by NHS National Services Scotland on behalf of 21 NHS Boards, and by the Scottish Ambulance Service separately. It covers hospitals and community health services, and excludes those working in general practice. All staff-in-post are included – both those on the frontline and those who may not have patient contact.

Accuracy and completeness is dependent on staff who directly deliver patient services, and administrators, inputting absence data into the NHS Scotland national time and attendance system (SSTS). The figures cover all staff recorded as absent on the system, irrespective of whether they were due to be at work on that particular day.

Recording processes vary between Boards and service areas. In particular, the timing of absence recording will vary, and some absences may not be recorded timeously. We consider whether it is necessary to update the data for previous periods where there is a material change in the reported absence due to a delay in recording. We understand that services are under high pressure, and therefore data will be monitored closely. If necessary, publishing of staff absence data may need to be amended or delayed.

In contrast to the data for adult care homes, stress related to COVID-19 would be recorded as sick leave, and not included here.

This data is updated weekly (on a Wednesday) as of 22/07/2020.

Number of staff absent in adult care homes due to COVID-19

This data is reported by care homes to the Care Inspectorate on a weekly basis, via a survey made available each Tuesday, from 21 April 2020. The data only includes survey forms submitted that day. This data is updated weekly (on a Thursday).

Reasons for absences related to COVID-19 include those self-isolating, those shielding, stress related to COVID-19, at home with symptoms of COVID-19, at home with confirmed (by test) COVID-19, in hospital with symptoms of COVID-19 and in hospital with confirmed (by test) COVID-19.

The data covers all staff recorded as absent on the system, irrespective of whether they were due to be at work on that particular day.

Measure

Sources, methods and things to note

School Attendance and Absence

This information is currently based on Local Authority schools only (primary, secondary and special schools).

The attendance and absence rates are calculated on the number of half days (i.e. openings) a child or young person is recorded being in or out of school (together with the reason for not being in school), as recorded on school management information systems. 

This information is being provided by local authorities on a daily basis, one day in arrears (e.g. Monday’s data is extracted and provided on Tuesday morning).  Due to this extremely short turnaround, the results should be seen as provisional as schools may update and amend the data recorded on school systems after it has been extracted (e.g. schools may receive further information from parents/carers that affect the recorded information, etc.). These provisional daily figures will be revised one week later to take on board any updates made.

The number of children and young people who are absent due to Covid-related reasons is based on counting any child or young person who is recorded as being absent due to a Covid-related reason for all or part of the day (i.e. all day, or for half a day).

This information is currently based on data obtained from Higher Education Institutions (Universities) and should be treated as Management Information.

Universities collect this information for operational purposes and the Scottish Government requires this information for monitoring outbreaks.

Management Information recording systems and protocols vary across the university sector and this data is collected with extremely short turnaround. Published figures should therefore be treated as provisional and may be revised retrospectively as new information is made available. Numbers are not directly comparable with other data published by the Scottish Government or Public Health Scotland due to the variations in collection and time periods covered.

The number of new cases covers the number of students who have had a new positive test result recorded by universities in the previous 7 days. The number of cases is believed to have good coverage of known positive cases among students in university maintained halls. However the total number of students newly testing positive is potentially an undercount overall, as in general, it relies on students self-reporting to the university if they do not live in university maintained halls.

The weekly number is rounded to the nearest 10, daily average to the nearest 5 and total number since the start of term to 100. Numbers have been rounded to account for the precision of the aggregated figures.

Several universities are currently offering a mixture of online and face-to-face teaching, with many students having limited physical involvement on campus. There is no comprehensive data available on how many students may have contracted the virus in their university environment. To date, we are not aware of any cases where contact tracing has identified face-to-face teaching on campus as a source of transmission among students.

This information is currently based on data obtained from Scottish colleges and should be treated as Management Information.

Colleges collect this information for operational purposes and the Scottish Government requires this information for monitoring outbreaks.

Management Information recording systems and protocols vary across the college sector and this data is collected with extremely short turnaround. Data may be collated from a number of different sources and in some circumstances newly reported cases may include backdated cases, for example following a holiday period in which colleges are often closed to students. Published figures should therefore be treated as provisional and may be revised retrospectively as new information is made available. Numbers are not directly comparable with other data published by the Scottish Government or Public Health Scotland due to the variations in collection and time periods covered. The figures should also not be added to cases reported in other sources due to the potential for double counting.

To further reduce the possibility of double counting, please note that published figures for the college sector do not include any college students studying at Scotland’s Rural College or the University of the Highlands and Islands, as due to reporting practices these are included in the university figures. However, there may be a small number of students that are affiliated with both a university and college and so it is not possible to ensure that there is no duplication in reporting between colleges and universities.

The number of new cases covers the number of students who have had a new positive test result recorded by colleges in the previous 7 days. Only a small proportion of college students live in provider maintained halls and indeed many colleges do not have such residences. As such, the number of students newly testing positive is potentially an undercount overall, as in general, it relies on students self-reporting to the college if they do not live in college maintained halls.

The weekly number is rounded to the nearest 10, daily average to the nearest 5 and total number since the start of term to 10. Numbers have been rounded to account for the precision of the aggregated figures.

Several colleges are currently offering a mixture of online and face-to-face teaching, with many students having limited physical involvement on campus. There is no comprehensive data available on how many students may have contracted the virus in their college environment. To date, we are not aware of any cases where contact tracing has identified face-to-face teaching on campus as a source of transmission among students.

Measure

Sources, methods and things to note

The information published is the number of people who have received their first and second doses of the Covid vaccination in the period from 8 December up to 8:30 am on the date reported. This is based on management information and is subject to change on any given day.

General Practice Information Technology Systems (GPIT) data have been included in the figures presented from 12/1/2021 onwards.

Data on third dose and booster vaccinations have been reported on the SG webpage from 18/11/2021 onwards.

Public Health Scotland publish the full time series and additional breakdowns by JCVI priority group, sex , age and location (including NHS Board and local authority) on their COVID-19 daily dashboard. 

COVID-19 Vaccine supply data

Number of doses includes Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca, and Moderna.

Figures on doses allocated and delivered refer to one dose of vaccine, whereas a course of vaccination is made up of two doses. This is the same for both types of vaccine.

The data on vaccination allocation and delivery is drawn from information provided by Public Health England (PHE). The data is collected from management information generated during the operation of the Vaccine Deployment Programme and collated centrally by Public Health England.

The data on vaccine supply is management information which is used to support COVID-19 vaccination operations. The data have not undergone the same level of quality assurance as official statistics, and are subject to future revisions.

Measure

Sources, methods and things to note

Number of patients in hospital with confirmed and suspected COVID-19

(old method)

Number of patients in Intensive Care Units (ICU) with confirmed and suspected COVID-19 (old method)

NHS Boards started to provide data on the total number of patients in hospital and in ICU with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 from 18 March 2020, and a breakdown of suspected and confirmed hospital and ICU patients from 26 March 2020 with all Boards providing this breakdown from 27 March (except NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde who provided confirmed cases only from the start). 

Up until 4 May the total of confirmed and suspected cases in hospital was published together. From 5 May onwards the numbers of confirmed and suspected cases in hospital were published separately due to a discontinuity in the suspected cases figures, caused by the introduction of screening and testing of those aged 70 and over on admission to hospital.

From 29 April, NHS Boards started testing all patients aged over 70 on admission to hospital and then every four days. This led to a discontinuity in the data series for number of people in hospital with suspected COVID-19, as in some areas everyone waiting for a test result is automatically included as suspected by the hospital information systems. Greater Glasgow & Clyde could not initially provide number of suspected cases, and these have not been included in the suspected totals.

From 22 July, Scottish Government no longer published data on the number of patients in hospital or in ICU with suspected COVID-19.

The figures included all patients in hospital, including in intensive care, and community, mental health and long stay hospitals from the start.

A review of the data in August found that some NHS Boards were still including patients who had previously had COVID-19 but recovered. A new consistent definition was developed and this has been reported on since 15 September. The data is no longer collected on the old basis.

Previously published data on these measures have been archived in the daily data spreadsheet.

Cumulative number of care homes that have reported a suspected COVID-19 case

Proportion of all adult care homes that have reported a suspected COVID-19 case

Cumulative number of care homes that have reported more than one case of suspected COVID-19

Cumulative number of suspected COVID-19 cases in care homes

Daily number of new suspected COVID-19 cases in care homes

This data is no longer updated as of 29/07/2020.

This data is provided by the Care Inspectorate, who are notified of suspected COVID-19 cases by service providers.

Cases are self-reported by care providers and should be considered suspected COVID-19. Some cases may subsequently have a formal positive test, other cases after testing may prove not to be COVID-19 and some cases will not be tested

It is possible not all cases have been reported by all care homes, or there may be a delay in reporting.

All data is based on the date notified to the Care Inspectorate rather than the date of the event, and there may be a lag between these dates. Larger increases tend to occur the first few days of the week  as many care homes do not report over the weekend.

Some care homes were only notifying the Care Inspectorate of the first cases of suspected COVID-19 and therefore may be under reporting the number of cases. On the 17 April 2020, the Care Inspectorate asked care homes to notify every suspected case going forward. Caution is therefore required when considering trends over time.

It is important to note that not all of these care homes will still have cases; see the number that that currently have cases.

Number of calls to 111

From 22/07/2020 this information is not being updated on this site. Please see the supplementary data file published by PHS.

This data is provided by NHS24 on a daily basis.  The public are asked to call 111 if they have worsening COVID-19 symptoms which they are concerned about, or their symptoms aren’t improving.  They should also call 111 if they have concerns about other conditions and their GP practice is closed – because of this call volumes may be higher at the weekend when practices are closed.  The number of calls to 111 includes all calls to this line, whether or not they relate to COVID-19.  It includes calls trying to contact (abandoned) and people calling back more than once a day.

Number of calls to the Coronavirus helpline

From 22/07/2020 this information is not being updated on this site. Please see the supplementary data file published by PHS.

This data is provided by NHS24 on a daily basis. The Coronavirus helpline 0800 028 2816 is free and available to members of the public who don't have symptoms and are looking for general information.

Total ambulance attendances and those with suspected COVID-19

From 22/07/2020 this information is not being updated on this site. Please see the supplementary data file published by PHS.

This data is provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service on a daily basis. The number of attendances is defined as the number of incidents recorded by SAS, where a resource arrived at the scene.  The number of attendances with suspected coronavirus is defined as the number of suspected Covid-19 incidents flagged by SAS, where a resource arrived at scene.

Number of people taken to hospital by ambulance with suspected COVID-19

From 22/07/2020 this information is not being updated on this site. Please see the supplementary data file published by PHS.

This data is provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service on a daily basis. The number of people they took to hospital with suspected coronavirus is defined as the number of suspected COVID-19 incidents flagged by SAS, where a resource arrived scene and patient conveyed to hospital.

Number of individuals advised to shield

This information is no longer updated as of 13/08/2020. People who have been advised to shield because of COVID-19, will no longer have to do so from 1 August.

As at 3 August, 180,228 people who were identified as at high clinical risk of COVID-19 had been advised to shield up to the end of July.

This data was provided by Public Health Scotland on a weekly basis. It was the number of individuals identified as at high clinical risk of Covid-19 and advised to shield, as defined by the four UK Chief Medical Officers. More information is available 

Number of individuals advised to shield who have died

This information is no longer updated as of 13/08/2020. People who have been advised to shield because of COVID-19, will no longer have to do so from 1 August.

As at 3 August, there had been 5,426 deaths (from all causes) of those who had been advised to shield.

This data was provided by Public Health Scotland on a weekly basis. It was the number of individuals who received a shielding letter and who were subsequently identified as having died. The date of death may have been before or after the shielding letter was received.

Number of individuals currently registered with the shielding SMS service

This information is no longer updated as of 06/08/2020. People who have been advised to shield because of COVID-19, will no longer have to do so from 1 August.

This data was provided by NES Digital Service. It was the number of individuals who had texted the SMS service and correctly provided their CHI number to register.

Number of shielding individuals who are signed up for food box delivery

This information is no longer updated as of 06/08/2020. People who have been advised to shield because of COVID-19, will no longer have to do so from 1 August.

This data was provided by NES Digital Service. It was the number of shielding individuals signed up for weekly food box deliveries either via SMS registration or by contacting their local authority.

Number of shielding individuals who are signed up for priority supermarket delivery

This information is no longer updated as of 06/08/2020. People who have been advised to shield because of COVID-19, will no longer have to do so from 1 August.

This data was provided by NES Digital Service. It was the number of shielding individuals signed up for priority supermarket delivery either via SMS registration or by contacting their local authority.