No increase in cases of coronavirus in Borders for fifth day running for first time since pandemic reached region in March

That’s the first time five days have gone by without any new cases of the disease, also known as Covid-19, being reported here since the first diagnoses were confirmed on Wednesday, March 11.

The 322 cases confirmed here are among 15,156 nationwide, up from 15,101 yesterday.

Across the UK, 259,559 people have tested positive for the disease, up 2,409 on the day before.

It’s now getting on for three months since Scotland’s first case, in Tayside, was announced on Sunday, March 1, after spreading across the world from Wuhan in China.

Following March 11’s initial diagnoses, the number of cases in the Borders 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 on Tuesday; and 322 on Wednesday.

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

Figures issued by the National Records of Scotland on Wednesday, 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 last 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 here 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 on Tuesday, May 19.

They are among 2,273 coronavirus patients killed by the disease in Scotland so far, up from 2,270 overnight, and 36,793 UK-wide, a rise of 118 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 260, but is still well below the two others, Lanarkshire and Lothian being up to 1,944 and 2,669 respectively.

Altogether, 29 Scots are in intensive care receiving treatment for coronavirus, along with another 11 suspected to be infected but awaiting test results.

Hospitals in the region are currently treating 11 patients confirmed to have Covid-19.

More than 103,500 tests for the illness have been carried out in Scotland so far, with 88,352 returning negative results.

Giving an update in Edinburgh today on the outbreak, Scottish Government first minister Nicola Sturgeon called on Scots to continue complying with lockdown rules, telling them that any changes to be announced later in the week won’t take effect until Friday at the earliest.

“Let me be clear – any change to these rules is not yet in place,” she said.

“I don’t want people waking up on Thursday morning and assuming that they are in place straight away.

“If we assess that we are able to make this change and start to ease some of these restrictions, then any changes will take effect on Friday.”

“I am very hopeful and optimistic we’ll be able to move to phase one on Thursday.

“The data right now would suggest that’s the case, but of course I’ve got to formally assess that on Thursday.

“I think that will be an important step forward.

“It will be a cautious step forward because we have to keep the virus under control, but it will be the first step on that road hopefully back to a greater degree of normality.”