Inverclyde has suffered the worst coronavirus death rate in Scotland, new figures have revealed.

But the foundations of today's Covid-19 crisis were laid down decades ago, the council area's MSP has warned. 

The demographics of Inverclyde make it particularly vulnerable to the disease.

It has an aging population, with the number of people aged 65 and over increasing over the past 20 years as school-age and working-age populations have dwindled. 

The virus is known to be particularly dangerous to older people, who are more at risk of dying from coronavirus than younger folk.

READ MORE: Inverclyde housing estate described as being "like Chernobyl"

Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Stuart McMillan told The Herald: "In 1979, the government changed and heavy industry started to decline somewhat.

"The shipyards went. Heavy industry went. The sugar industry left Inverclyde. 

"At the time, Norman Tebbit told people to get on their bike and look for work - so that's what people did.

"Younger folk left and older folk remained.

"We have a growing vulnerability in terms of health. We have second or third generations of families who never managed to work. 

"These are part of the underlying factors which have led to Inverclyde having three times the level of Covid-19 as the national average." 

The area's SNP MSP tabled a series of questions on Monday 4th May to the Scottish Government seeking "clarification on a number of areas and asking for additional support during the outbreak".

Although work has been going on to reach at-risk populations, some people have complex needs which mean existing solutions do not work for them. 

For instance, when food packages were sent out to vulnerable people in Inverclyde, some recipients were so ill or frail they were unable to cook with them.

"When the boxes go out to the community, the voluntary sector is getting calls saying we can't use the food," the MSP added.

"People can't cook due to health problems, so what they need is prepared meals so there is now a fundraising effort to try and obtain levels of prepared meals to help with older and vulnerable people in our community.

"The longer this goes on the worse that's going to get."

He called for financial support, but also suggested calling in experts to help cope with the unique crisis unfolding in the region. 

We asked Mr McMillan if thought Boris Johnson knew - or cared - what was going on in Inverclyde. 

He replied: "I would not imagine for a minute that he knows what's going on.

"In terms of caring? I can't comment.

"But I wouldn't imagine he has much understanding of the situation Inverclyde is facing."

During the pandemic, 55 people in Inverclyde have died in a hospital, 27 in care homes and 11 people at home or elsewhere - a total of 93.

Figures released by the National Records of Scotland show Inverclyde has a coronavirus death rate of 11.9 per 10,000 people, while the national figure is 4.2 for every 10,000 people.

The outbreak is believed to has caused the largest number of deaths due to one event since the Greenock Blitz in May 1941, which resulted in 271 deaths. 

Provost Martin Brennan said the statistics make for "sad reading".

He added: "As a community, we must never forget that we have lost 93 members of the Inverclyde community to this virus.

"These are all family, friends, colleagues and neighbours who are grieving right now at the loss of a loved one."