No increase in coronavirus figures for Borders for second day running, but disease claims second death in Scotland and national total rises to 195

No increase in coronavirus cases in the Borders has been reported for the second day in a row despite the figure for Scotland rising to almost 200 and the outbreak claiming a second fatality.
Scottish chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)Scottish chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Scottish chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

An update issued by the Scottish Government today, March 17, reveals that 195 people this side of the border have now tested positive for Covid-19, as the illness is also known.

So far, 5,246 tests have been carried out, with 5,051 of them turning out negative.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The fatality reported today takes the death toll claimed by the disease in Scotland to two, following the announcement of the first on Friday, March 13.

Scottish chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood said: “I am very saddened to report that an elderly patient with underlying health conditions, who has tested positive for coronavirus, has died.

“They were being treated by the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board.

“I offer my deepest condolences to their friends and family at this difficult time.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“No further information will be available to protect patient confidentiality.”

The 195 diagnoses of Covid-19 confirmed in Scotland, up from 171 yesterday, are among 1,543 UK-wide, causing 55 deaths.

The figure of seven for the Borders has remained static since it went up from five on Sunday.

It will be a week tomorrow, March 18, that the first two cases of the illness were confirmed in the region, with that figure going up to three on Friday, five on Saturday, then the current total of seven the day after.