Covid-19 cases in Borders 
up by 26 over last month

That’s 26 up on the cumulative total for the region of 347 reported on Monday, August 3, and that figure, static since Saturday, July 25, didn’t go up until Saturday, August 8.

It’s now been the best part of a fortnight, however, since a day went by without at least one new case being reported.

Friday, August 21, marked the end of a nine-day run without any further diagnoses of Covid-19, as the disease is also known, being reported, and daily rises of up to four have been reported since then.

Last week alone, due to an outbreak of the disease in Hawick, has seen 13 new cases confirmed here, up from 360 last Thursday.

Happily, though, it’s now nearing two months since the virus added to the death toll it’s claimed in the region.

According to figures issued today, September 2, by the National Records of Scotland, the number of fatalities linked to the disease remains at 74, as of Sunday, as has been the case since Sunday, July 12.

Those fatalities, taking into account all deaths linked to coronavirus, not just among those previously tested and found to be infected, are among 4,228 nationwide measured by those criteria.

Nationwide, 20,788 people have tested positive for the disease, up 156 overnight.

It’s now over six months since Scotland’s first official diagnosis of the disease was announced on Sunday, March 1, after spreading across the world from Wuhan in China, with the first two cases in the Borders following on Wednesday, March 11.

Giving an update on the ongoing outbreak to the Scottish Parliament today, Holyrood first minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that Glasgow, East Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire are going back into lockdown and warned Scots everywhere to remain on their guard.

“The level of Covid is particularly high and rising in those areas. Given the toll that we know Covid can take, doing nothing was not an option,” said Ms Sturgeon.

“Those restrictions will be in place for two weeks, and will be reviewed in one week.

“They have not been put in place lightly. They are necessary and, we believe, proportionate, and we hope that they will allow the spread to be contained at an early stage without the need for further measures later.

“The measures apply only in those three council areas now, but I think that they should be a wake-up call for all of us.

“If we let it, the virus will spread rapidly. The good news is that, if we stick to some basic rules and continue to make some sacrifices, we can stop it.

“To be blunt, however, that only works if we all do those things, so please make sure that you are aware of what the rules are and that you stick to them.”