No increase in coronavirus fatalities in Borders for seventh day running

The death toll taken here by the virus, also known as Covid-19, remains at 26 for the seventh day running, according to an update issued by NHS Borders today, April 20.

That’s the longest the number of deaths attributable to the disease has remained static since its first five fatalities in the Borders 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; and 26 last Monday.

They’re among a death toll of 915 nationwide, up 12 from 903 yesterday, and 16,060 across the UK, up 596 on the day before.

Two more cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the Borders today, the joint lowest rise, along with Saturday’s increase of two, since the UK went into lockdown on Monday, March 23.

That latest increase, taking the total for the region to 239, was revealed in a daily update issued by Scottish Government first minister Nicola Sturgeon today.

Some 8,450 cases of the illness have now been confirmed nationwide, up 263 from 8,187 yesterday.

Across the UK, 120,067 people have tested positive for the illness, up 5,850 on the day before.

Some 40,700 tests for coronavirus have been carried out in Scotland so far, with 32,250 returning negative results.

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 over a month and a half 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 last Monday; 208 on Tuesday; 215 on Wednesday; 220 on Thursday; 229 on Friday; 231 on Saturday; 237 yesterday; and 239 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 231, but is still well below the two others, Lanarkshire and Lothian being up to 1,051 and 1,399 respectively.

Altogether, 169 Scots, seven of them in the Borders, are in intensive care receiving treatment for coronavirus, as of last night, with 167 having tested positive and the other two awaiting results.

Giving a briefing in Edinburgh today, Ms Sturgeon said: “In the last 24 hours, I am afraid that 12 deaths have been registered of patients who had been confirmed through a test of having Covid-19, and that takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 915.

“It continues to be absolutely essential that we never, ever lose sight of the human reality behind these statistics.

“Each death represents a loved individual whose loss is a source of grief to their family and friends, and so – yet again – I want to extend our deepest condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one.”

Warning that no end to the current lockdown is yet in sight, she added: “Towards the end of this week, I will set out some of the factors that will guide our thinking for the future.

“I want to be clear however, that the initial version of this work will not set out what measures will be lifted and when.

“We’re simply not yet in a position to take those decisions in a properly informed way, and I will not rush to do anything that could risk a resurgence of this virus because to do that would risk overwhelming the National Health Service and it would put many more lives at risk.

“What we will start to do is set out, firstly, our objective, which is continuing to suppress the virus while considering how we can even gradually restore a semblance of normality to everyday life.

“Living with this virus, as we will need to learn to do, is likely to mean some restrictions on everyday life in the form of social distancing for a while to come.”