Coronavirus cases in Borders rise by three, taking total to 316, as further easing of lockdown announced

They are among 14,594 nationwide, up from 14,537 yesterday.

Across the UK, 243,695 people have tested positive for the disease, up 3,534 on the day before.

It’s over two months since the first two cases of Covid-19, as the illness is also known, were confirmed in the Borders on Wednesday, March 11, and two and a half months since Scotland’s first case, in Tayside, was announced on Sunday, March 1, after spreading across the world from Wuhan in China.

That figure rose to three on Friday, March 13; five on Saturday, March 14; seven on Sunday, March 15; eight the following Thursday, March 19; nine on Friday, March 20; 10 on Saturday, March 21; 11 on Sunday, March 22; 12 on Monday, March 23; 15 on Wednesday, March 25; 23 on Thursday, March 26; 28 on Friday, March 27; 35 on Saturday, March 28; 50 on Sunday, March 29; 63 on Monday, March 30; 77 on Tuesday, March 31; 87 on Wednesday, April 1; 93 on Thursday, April 2; 100 on Friday, April 3; 110 on Saturday, April 4; 130 on Sunday, April 5; 139 on Monday, April 6; 149 on Tuesday, April 7; 160 on Wednesday, April 8; 167 on Thursday, April 9; 177 on Friday, April 10; 189 on Saturday, April 11; 199 on Sunday, April 12; 204 on Monday, April 13; 208 on Tuesday, April 14; 215 on Wednesday, April 15; 220 on Thursday, April 16; 229 on Friday, April 17; 231 on Saturday, April 18; 237 on Sunday, April 19; 239 on Monday, April 20; 240 on Tuesday, April 21; 243 on Wednesday, April 22; 248 on Thursday, April 23; 253 on Friday, April 24; 258 on Saturday, April 25; 259 on Sunday, April 26; 269 on Monday, April 27; 272 on Tuesday, April 28; 279 on Wednesday, April 29; 281 on Friday, May 1; 283 on Saturday, May 2; 284 on Sunday, May 3; 285 on Wednesday, May 6; 286 on Thursday, May 7; 292 on Monday, May 11; 294 on Tuesday, May 12; 297 on Wednesday, May 13; 298 on Thursday, May 14; 304 on Friday; 310 on Saturday; 313 yesterday; and 316 today.

The number of cases of Covid-19 in the Borders remains higher than in one of its neighbouring health board areas, Dumfries and Galloway’s total being 257, but is still well below the two others, Lanarkshire and Lothian being up to 1,840 and 2,568 respectively.

The death toll claimed by coronavirus in the Borders stands at 32, as of last Tuesday, with a further update being due tomorrow.

Figures issued by the National Records of Scotland, taking into account all deaths attributed to coronavirus and not just among those previously tested and found to be infected, put the death toll for the region at 48 as of last Sunday, however.

It’s now been a month and a half since the first five fatalities among Covid-19 patients were announced on Monday, March 30.

That figure, going by Scottish Government calculations, rose to seven the day after, March 31; eight on Wednesday, April 1; 11 on Thursday, April 2; 14 on Friday, April 3; 16 on Sunday, April 5; 17 on Monday, April 6; 19 on Tuesday, April 7; 20 on Friday, April 10; 22 on Saturday, April 11; 23 on Sunday, April 12; 26 on Monday, April 13; 27 on Thursday, April 23; 28 on Friday, April 24; 29 on Monday, April 27; 30 on Wednesday, April 29; 31 on Thursday, April 30; and 32 last Tuesday.

They are among 2,105 coronavirus patients killed by the disease in Scotland so far, up from 2,103 overnight, and 34,636 UK-wide, a rise of 170 on the day before.

Altogether, 63 Scots are in intensive care receiving treatment for coronavirus, with 46 having tested positive and the others awaiting results.

Hospitals in the region are currently treating 27 patients confirmed to have Covid-19.

Some 88,940 tests for the illness have been carried out in Scotland so far, with 74,346 giving negative results.

Giving an update in Edinburgh today on the outbreak, Scottish Government first minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “There have been 14,394 positive cases confirmed, which is an increase of 57 since yesterday.

“A total of 1,427 patients are in hospital with Covid-19. 1,005 of them have been confirmed as having the virus,and 422 are suspected of having it. That represents a total increase of 119 from yesterday. However the number of confirmed cases has declined by two.

“A total of 63 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid-19. That is an increase of four since yesterday.

“In the past 24 hours, two deaths have been registered of patients confirmed through a test as having the virus. That takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 2,105.

“These numbers are not just statistics. Each one is an individual whose loss is a source of real sorrow and deep grief. My condolences go to everyone who has lost a loved one to this virus.”

Ms Sturgeon also announced that a further relaxation of the lockdown in force since Monday, March 23, is imminent, saying: “We will publish on Thursday a routemap setting out our phased approach to easing lockdown measures.

“This will take account of up-to-date estimates of the transmission rate and the number of cases. It will also take account of the latest National Records of Scotland report, due on Wednesday, on the number of deaths from Covid.

“The routemap we publish on Thursday will give a more detailed indication of the order in which we will carefully and gradually seek to lift current restrictions

“Like other countries, we will not yet be able to put firm dates on all of the different phases because timings must be driven by data and evidence.

“It will also be important that we assess the impact of measures in one phase before moving on to another.

“We will continue, and again I want to stress this, to take a cautious approach that ensures the virus is suppressed while seeking to restore as much normality as possible when it is safe to do so.

“However, Thursday’s routemap will confirm that, assuming we see progress in suppressing the virus, the first phase will start from the next formal review date of May 28.

“Within a few days of that, we will aim to allow, for example, more outdoor activity, such as being able to sit in the park, meet up outdoors with someone from another household, as long as you stay socially distanced; some limited outdoor sporting activities, like golf and fishing; the opening of garden centres and recycling facilities; and the resumption of some outdoor work.

“This first phase will coincide with our ability to start, on a phased basis, a substantial test, trace and isolate operation to help us keep the virus under control as we start to ease up restrictions.

“That part is absolutely crucial.

“Thursday’s routemap will also set out our up-to-date assessment at that point of a phased of a return to school.

“From Thursday onwards, we will also set out guidance for key industries on the changes they will need to make to ensure their employees and customers are safe in advance of further changes, as well as setting out advice on travel and transport.

“Within two weeks, my hope is that we will be taking some concrete steps on the journey back to a form of normality.

“It won’t be normality exactly as we knew it because the virus will not have gone away, but it will be a journey to a better balance, I hope, than the one we have today.

“As we take each step, we must make sure the ground beneath us is as solid as possible, and that’s why, between now and then, sticking with the lockdown restrictions a bit longer, to suppress the virus more, is so important because that will mean we can start to take these steps with confidence that we have alternative means of effectively keeping it under control.

“For that reason, our key advice now remains unchanged, and it remains as important as ever – please stay at home right now except for essential purposes.

“By sticking with these restrictions now, we make it all the more likely we can start that journey back to normality within the timescale I talked about a moment ago.”