Coronavirus cases in Borders up to 304 after six more positive test results confirmed

That’s the biggest daily rise since another of six on Monday this week.

The 304 cases diagnosed here are among 14,260 nationwide, up from 14,117 yesterday.

Across the UK, 236,711 people have tested positive for the disease, up 3,560 on the day before.

It’s just 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; 294 on Tuesday; 297 on Wednesday; 298 yesterday; and 304 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 255, but is still well below the two others, Lanarkshire and Lothian being up to 1,781 and 2,497 respectively.

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

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 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 on Tuesday.

They are among 2,053 coronavirus patients killed by the disease in Scotland so far, up 46 from 2,007 overnight, and 33,998 UK-wide, a rise of 384 on the day before.

Altogether, 71 Scots are in intensive care receiving treatment for coronavirus, with 53 having tested positive and the others awaiting results.

Hospitals in the region are currently treating 25 patients confirmed to have Covid-19.

Some 82,266 tests for the illness have been carried out in Scotland so far, with 68,006 proving negative.

Giving an update in Edinburgh today on the outbreak, Scottish Government first minister Nicola Sturgeon promised to reveal more of her lockdown exit strategy next week.

“We can’t live like this for ever, so we need to get some normality back as we continue to suppress the virus,” she said.

“Even when we can’t yet give firm dates on when things will open up again, at least we will seek to share with you the order of priority and further phasing.

“Next week I will share with you more information on the assessments we are making and the range of options we are now looking at, and also any further minor changes we might make in the short term.

“A life where you go to work but stay locked down with no family interaction for the rest of the time is not one many of us, if any of us, would enjoy.”

Because the virus seems to be hitting the central belt harder than more rural areas, Ms Sturgeon said she is not ruling out the possibility of the lockdown being relaxed first in parts of the country with fewer cases of the virus, though she isn’t proposing such a policy at this stage.