Coronavirus claims another life in Borders, taking death toll here to 28

Another life has been claimed in the Borders by coronavirus, taking the disease’s death toll in the region to 28.
Scottish Government first minister Nicola Sturgeon this week. (Photo by Fraser Bremner/Pool/Getty Images)Scottish Government first minister Nicola Sturgeon this week. (Photo by Fraser Bremner/Pool/Getty Images)
Scottish Government first minister Nicola Sturgeon this week. (Photo by Fraser Bremner/Pool/Getty Images)

It’s the second death in two days attributable to the disease after a nine-day spell without fatalities.

That was the longest the number of deaths caused by Covid-19, as the illness is also known, had remained static since its first five fatalities in the Borders were announced on Monday, March 30.

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That figure 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 yesterday; and 28 today, April 24.

They are among 1,184 coronavirus patients killed by the disease in Scotland so far, up 64 from 1,120 yesterday.

Across the UK, the number of patients killed by coronavirus is up to 18,738, a rise of 616 on the day before.

Five further cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the Borders today, taking the total for the region to 253.

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Some 9,697 cases of the illness have now been diagnosed nationwide, up from 9,409 yesterday.

UK-wide, 138,078 people have tested positive for the illness, up 4,583 on the day before.

Some 46,089 tests for coronavirus have been carried out in Scotland so far, with 36,392 returning negative results.

It’s well over a month now since the first two cases of the illness were confirmed in the Borders on Wednesday, March 11, and nearing two months since Scotland’s first case, in Tayside, was announced on Sunday, March 1, after spreading across the world from Wuhan in China.

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That figure went up 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 last 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 last Tuesday; 215 on Wednesday; 220 on Thursday; 229 on Friday; 231 on Saturday; 237 on Sunday; 239 on Monday; 240 on Tuesday; 243 on Wednesday; 248 yesterday; and 253 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 235, but is still well below the two others, Lanarkshire and Lothian being up to 1,176 and 1,684 respectively.

Altogether, 141 Scots, four of them in the Borders, are in intensive care receiving treatment for coronavirus, as of last night, with 136 having tested positive and the others awaiting results.

Giving an update today in Edinburgh on the spread of coronavirus nationwide, Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “A total of 1,710 patients are in hospital with Covid-19. That is a decrease of 38 from yesterday.

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“A total of 141 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid 19. That is also a decrease, of seven, since yesterday.

“These figures for hospital admissions and intensive care are giving us real and growing cause for optimism that the current lockdown is working to suppress the virus.

“That’s the good news. Perhaps the less good news is that also tells us why we must stick with these lockdown restrictions because any easing up on that at all right now would risk us putting all that progress into reverse and the virus quickly running out of control again, so please stick with the restrictions because, as you can see, they are working

“I am also, in some other good news, able to confirm today that since March 5, a total of 2,271 patients who had tested positive for the virus and been admitted to hospital have been able to leave hospital, and I wish all of them well.

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“However on a much sadder note, I also have to report that in the last 24 hours, 64 deaths have been registered of patients confirmed through a test as having Covid-19.

“That takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 1,184.

“We provide these statistics for a very important reason. It helps tell us and tell you what is happening with the virus and how it is progressing across the country and what impact it is having, but the people behind these statistics could be the loved ones of any of us, and that’s what I always bear in mind when I report the numbers to you every day.

“Each and every one of these statistics was a real person, and across the country right now their deaths are being mourned by family members whose lives will never be the same again without them, so, once again, today I want to convey my deepest condolences to everyone who is grieving for a loved one as a result of this virus.”

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Warning people to expect a gradual relaxation of movement restrictions rather than a lifting of lockdown returning life to what it was before the nation’s pubs called last orders on Friday, March 20, she explained: “We need to be clear now that lockdown remains essential and that even as we are able to start to ease some of these restrictions, we’re going to have to do so very carefully, very cautiously, probably very slowly and gradually.

“We’ve got to try to seek a new normal because how we are living our lives right now has consequences and can’t go on forever, but we have to recognised the virus has not gone away, so there will be changes in how we live our lives that will be necessary for some time to come, until science in the form of treatments and a vaccine offer new solutions to us.

“Moving on from where we are now will be possible only if and when we get the virus under control and we have more confidence that is the case, so it remains absolutely vital that all of us continue to comply with the public health guidance and rules that are in place.

“By following these rules, we can continue, as we are doing right now, to slow the spread of this virus, and we can hasten the day when we return to some semblance of normality in our everyday lives.

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“I’m conscious that it will be the fifth weekend since Scotland went into lockdown, and I know that they only get harder, as time goes on.

“However, the sacrifices we’re all making are having a positive impact.

“We have a long way to go, but it is equally true to say that we are seeing hopeful signs and so it’s vital that we stick with it and build on the work we’ve done so far.

“By doing that, we are slowing the spread of this virus, we are protecting our NHS and, despite the horrible statistics I report to you on a daily basis, we are saving lives.”

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