Coronavirus death toll in Borders up one to 73

There’s been no increase in the number of positive test results in the region for the virus for over three weeks now.

That figure remains at 345, as it has been since Wednesday, June 17, though a laboratory error, since corrected, put it at 346 from Sunday, June 21, to Wednesday, June 24.

One further death linked to Covid-19, as the illness is also known, has been reported this week, however, with the number of lives it’s claimed rising to 73, as of Sunday.

The 73 fatalities for the region cited in figures issued by the National Records of Scotland today, July 8, taking into account all deaths linked to coronavirus and not just among those previously tested and found to be infected, are among 4,173 nationwide measured by those criteria.

The number of coronavirus cases confirmed nationwide is now up to 18,309, a rise of seven overnight.

Across the UK, Covid-19 has killed 44,517 sufferers, up 126 overnight.

It’s now over four months since Scotland’s first official case of the disease, in Tayside, was announced on Sunday, March 1, after spreading across the world from Wuhan in China.

The first two cases in the Borders followed on Wednesday, March 11.

Giving an update on the outbreak in Edinburgh today, first minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “This is the 10th consecutive week in which the number of deaths from the virus has fallen.

“The total number of deaths recorded last week, from all causes, was 40 below the five-year average for the same time of year. This is the second week in a row that the total number of deaths has been below that five-year average.

“These weekly statistics confirm what our daily data has also been telling us – Scotland has made real and sustained progress against this virus.

“However, the numbers also speak of heartbreak for too many people.

“We can take comfort in the trend of recent weeks, but every single death is a tragedy. I want to send my condolences to everyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one.”