Increase of one in coronavirus cases in Borders is lowest for five days

Another case of coronavirus has been diagnosed in the Borders today, April 26, taking the total for the region to just short of 260.
Scottish Government health secretary Jeane Freeman giving a Covid-19 update in Edinburgh.Scottish Government health secretary Jeane Freeman giving a Covid-19 update in Edinburgh.
Scottish Government health secretary Jeane Freeman giving a Covid-19 update in Edinburgh.

That’s the lowest increase in cases in the region for five days.

The 259 positive test results now confirmed in the region include an unspecified number of staff and residents at Saltgreens Care Home in Eyemouth.

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Some 10,324 cases of the illness have now been diagnosed nationwide, up from 10,051 yesterday.

UK-wide, 148,377 people have tested positive for the illness, up 4,913 on the day before.

It’s well over a month now since the first two cases of the illness were confirmed in the Borders on Wednesday, March 11, and nearing 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 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 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 last 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 last Saturday; 237 last Sunday; 239 on Monday; 240 on Tuesday; 243 on Wednesday; 248 on Thursday; 253 on Friday; 258 yesterday; and 259 today.

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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 240, but is still well below the two others, Lanarkshire and Lothian being up to 1,231 and 1,785 respectively.

Altogether, 133 Scots are in intensive care receiving treatment for coronavirus, as of last night, with 131 having tested positive and the others awaiting results.

The disease’s death toll in the region went up to 28 on Friday, that being the second death in two days attributable to the disease after a nine-day spell without fatalities.

That was the longest the number of deaths caused by Covid-19, as the illness is also known, had remained static since its first five fatalities in the Borders were announced on Monday, March 30.

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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; and 28 on Friday, that being the latest update available fromNHS Borders.

They are among 1,249 coronavirus patients killed by the disease in Scotland so far, up from 1,231 yesterday.

Across the UK, the number of patients killed by Covid-19 is up to 20,319, a rise of 813 on the day before.

Some 49,157 tests for the illness have been carried out in Scotland so far, with 38,833 returning negative results.

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Saltgreens Care Home, in Chapel Street, is run by Scottish Borders Council, and the authority’s chief executive, Tracey Logan, is seeking to reassure relatives of its 34 residents that everything possible is being done to limit the spread of the infection there.

She said: “We understand this will be an anxious time for families of Saltgreens residents, but I would reiterate that stringent control measures are being undertaken to minimise the risk of infection.”

There are no other confirmed cases of Covid-19 among care home residents in the Borders at the moment, according to a council spokesperson.

At a briefing in Edinburgh today, Scottish Government health secretary Jeane Freeman said: “A total of 1,735 patients are in hospital with Covid-19. This is a decrease of 13 from yesterday.

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“And a total of 133 people were last night in intensive care with confirmed or suspected cases of Covid-19. This is a decrease of seven since yesterday.

“It is with sadness that I report that 18 further deaths have been registered, of people who had tested positive for Covid-19. That takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measure, to 1,249.

“Of course, the number of deaths that is reported every day is so much more than a statistic.

“Each death represents an individual whose loss will be a source of grief and sorrow to many, and I want to extend my deepest condolences to all of those who have lost loved ones.

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“As health secretary, I also want to thank once again those who are working in our health and care sector for the incredible work that you are doing.

“Those thanks are due to everyone – the doctors and the nurses, the paramedics, the care home staff, the porters, the cooks, the healthcare assistants, the cleaners and many, many more.

“Your work is crucial to the health and wellbeing of our country.

“You will have the same worries and anxieties as the rest of us, but you go to work each day, putting that aside to care for others.

“All of us are truly grateful to you for everything that you are doing.”