Five more coronavirus cases confirmed in Borders, taking total to 322

The 322 cases diagnosed here are among 14,751 nationwide, up from 14,655 yesterday.

Across the UK, 248,818 people have tested positive for the disease, up 2,412 on the day before.

It’s over two months since the first two cases of Covid-19, as the illness is also known, were confirmed in the Borders on Wednesday, March 11, and two and a half 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 on Monday, May 11; 294 on Tuesday, May 12; 297 on Wednesday, May 13; 298 on Thursday, May 14; 304 on Friday, May 15; 310 on Saturday; 313 on Sunday; 316 on Monday; 317 yesterday; and 322 today.

The death toll claimed in the region by coronavirus stands at 34, as of yesterday, up two on the week before.

Figures issued by the National Records of Scotland today, May 20, taking into account all deaths attributed to coronavirus and not just among those previously tested and found to be infected, put the death toll for the region at 54 as of Sunday, however – 22 higher than the Scottish Government figure of 32 at that time.

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

That figure, going by Scottish Government calculations, 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; 32 on Tuesday, May 12; and 34 yesterday, May 19.

They are among 2,134 coronavirus patients killed by the disease in Scotland so far, up from 2,105 overnight, and 35,341 UK-wide, a rise of 545 on the day before.

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 257, but is still well below the two others, Lanarkshire and Lothian being up to 1,867 and 2,584 respectively.

Altogether, 44 Scots are in intensive care receiving treatment for coronavirus, along with another nine suspected to be infected but awaiting results.

Hospitals in the region are currently treating 21 patients confirmed to have Covid-19.

Some 92,594 tests for the illness have been carried out in Scotland so far, with 77,843 giving negative results.

Giving an update on the outbreak to the Scottish Parliament today, Scottish Government first minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “As of nine o’clock this morning, 14,751 positive cases have been confirmed, an increase of 96 since yesterday.

“A total of 1,443 patients suspected of or confirmed as having Covid-19 are in hospital, a decrease of four since yesterday.

“As of last night, 53 people were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, a decrease of six since yesterday.

“I am afraid that, in the past 24 hours, 50 deaths have been registered of patients confirmed as having the virus. That takes the total number of deaths in Scotland under that measurement to 2,184.

“National Records of Scotland has just published its more detailed weekly report. Unlike the daily figures, its figures do not just include those deaths with a confirmed laboratory diagnosis of Covid-19. It also reports on cases where no formal test was carried out but where the virus is entered on the death certificate as a suspected cause of death or a contributory factor.

“Today’s report shows that, by Sunday, the total number of registered deaths linked to Covid-19, confirmed and presumed, was 3,546.

“Of those deaths, 332 were registered in the seven days up to Sunday. That is a decrease of 83 from the week before. This is the third week in a row in which deaths have fallen.

“Deaths in care homes made up 55% of all deaths linked to the virus last week. That is down from 57% in the previous week. The number of Covid-19 deaths in care homes also reduced again. However, as all of us will agree, that figure remains too high.

“I know that none of those statistical patterns will ever console those who have lost a loved one to the virus, and my thoughts and sympathies are with each and every one of them.

“However, the trends that we are seeing matter, and they provide further grounds for encouragement. In particular, the number of Covid-19 deaths has fallen for a third week, and the level of deaths is now almost half what it was three weeks ago.

“Tomorrow, I will make a statement and publish a route map of the steps that we will take, and the order in which we might take them, to carefully and cautiously return to some form of normality.

“For the moment, the message in Scotland remains the same – please stay at home except for essential purposes such as exercising, going to essential work that cannot be done at home or accessing food or medicine.

“Today’s figures show that our approach is making a difference. It is slowing down the spread of the virus, protecting the National Health Service and saving lives.

“As I will outline further tomorrow, it is also helping to bring forward the time when we can start to ease the current restrictions.”