Covid-19 cases in Borders up to 167

Another rise in confirmed cases of the disease in the region has been announced, however.

A daily update issued by the Scottish Government on the spread of coronavirus, also known as Covid-19, through the country reveals an increase of seven cases today, April 9, taking the total for the region to 167.

The death toll claimed by the illness in the region remains at 19, a rise of one reported yesterday by NHS Borders having been found to be incorrect.

The first five fatalities claimed here by Covid-19 were announced on Monday, March 30, and that figure rose to seven the day after, eight the next day, 11 last Thursday, 14 on Friday, 16 on Sunday, 17 on Monday and 19 on Tuesday.

They’re among a death toll of 447 nationwide, up 81 from 366 yesterday, and 7,097 across the UK, up 938 on the day before.

Some 4,957 cases of the illness have been confirmed nationwide, up from 4,565 yesterday.

UK-wide, 60,733 people, including British prime minister Boris Johnson, have tested positive for the illness, up 5,492 on the day before.

Some 27,518 tests for coronavirus have now been carried out in Scotland, with 22,561 proving negative.

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

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 last Wednesday; 23 last Thursday; 28 last Friday; 35 on Saturday; 50 on Sunday; 63 on Monday; 77 on Tuesday; 87 on Wednesday; 93 yesterday; 100 on Friday; 110 on Saturday; 130 on Sunday; 139 on Monday; 149 on Tuesday; 160 yesterday; and 167 today.

The number of cases of Covid-19 in the Borders has now overtaken that of one of its neighbouring health board areas, Dumfries and Galloway’s total being 163, but remains well below the two others, Lanarkshire and Lothian being up to 607 and 747 respectively.

The near-5,000 Scots confirmed to have coronavirus are likely to be only a small fraction of the actual number infected, though, according to former Scottish chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood.

Dr Calderwood, replaced on an interim basis by Gregor Smith following her resignation on Sunday after being caught flouting lockdown rules, estimates that only around one in 64 cases of Covid-19 has been detected this side of the border.

That guess, if correct, would put the likely figure for the region at almost 10,700 out of a population of 115,000 or so.

Altogether, 212 Scots, seven of them in the Borders, are in intensive care receiving treatment for coronavirus, as of last night, with 200 having tested positive and the others awaiting test results.

Giving a briefing in Edinburgh today on the spread of coronavirus, Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon urged Scots to continue complying with the current lockdown, saying: “I know how hard it is for people to do that, and it will seem even harder over this Easter holiday weekend, especially for families with children and indeed for the children themselves and for older people who would normally be spending time with their grandchildren.

“Please stay in touch with family, friends and loved ones in whatever alternative way best works for you.

“Reach out to and look out for people even as you stay physically apart from them, but please do follow the rules and stay at home over Easter.”