First coronavirus fatality in Borders for almost two weeks takes disease’s death toll here to 32

That is the first fatality in the region among those to have tested positive for the disease, also known as Covid-19, since one reported a fortnight ago this coming Thursday.

It’s now been almost a month and a half since the first five fatalities among Covid-19 patients were announced on Monday, March 30.

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 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 today, May 12.

They are among 1,912 coronavirus patients killed by the disease in Scotland so far, up 50 from 1,862 overnight, and 32,065 UK-wide, a rise of 210 on the day before.

Two more cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in the Borders today, taking the total for the region to 294.

They are among 13,763 nationwide, up from 13,627 yesterday.

Across the UK, 223,060 people have tested positive for coronavirus, up 3,877 on the day before.

It’s just over two months since the first two cases of the disease were confirmed in the Borders on Wednesday, March 11, and well over two 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 yesterday; and 294 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 1,715 and 2,397 respectively.

Altogether, 81 Scots, five of them in the Borders, are in intensive care receiving treatment for coronavirus, with 69 having tested positive and the others awaiting results.

Hospitals in the region are currently treating 26 patients confirmed to have Covid-19 and another 12 suspected to be infected but waiting on test results.

Some 75,570 tests for the illness have been carried out in Scotland so far, with 61,807 turning out negative.

Giving an update in Edinburgh today on the outbreak, Scottish Government first minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “There have been 13,763 positive cases confirmed, an increase of 136 from yesterday.

“A total of 81 people last night were in intensive care with either confirmed or suspected Covid-19 and that is an increase of one since yesterday.

“As of last night, a total of 1,618 patients were in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19. That is an increase of 165 from yesterday.

“However, that increase is entirely in suspected cases. The number of confirmed cases is 1,131, and that is a decrease of 14.

“I am also able to confirm that since March 5, a total of 3,167 patients who had tested positive and been hospitalised for the virus have been able to leave hospital. I’m sure of all us wish them well.

“Unfortunately, I also have to report that in the past 24 hours, 50 deaths have been registered of patients confirmed through a test as having the virus. That takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 1,912.

“As always, I want to stress that behind each of these statistics is a unique and irreplaceable human being whose loss right now is a source of grief to many.

“I want to send my deepest condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one to this virus and to say I’m sure that everybody across the country is thinking of you.”

Ms Sturgeon also urged Scots to continue to comply with the current lockdown, saying: “As I have emphasised over the past couple of days, lockdown restrictions remain in place for Scotland.

“I know that the UK Government published guidance for businesses yesterday. I want to stress that this guidance is not yet operational in Scotland since we are not currently encouraging more people to go back to work.

“I would ask instead that all employers follow the Scottish Government guidance.

“I am very grateful for the fact that the vast majority of employers have been so responsible throughout this crisis, so I am sure that most will do this and will not urge workers to come back to work prematurely.

“Our fundamental advice in Scotland remains unchanged. Please stay at home except for essential work that can’t be done at home, for buying food or accessing medicines, or exercising.

“I know these restrictions are very hard and they get tougher to comply with every single day that passes, but we are doing it for a reason because by complying with these restrictions now, we will all come out of lockdown sooner and we will do so in a way that minimises the number of lives that are lost to this horrible virus.

“Please stick with these restrictions for now because that is the way that we will continue to slow the spread of the virus. It’s how we will continue to protect the NHS and it is how we will save lives.”