No overnight increase in coronavirus cases in Borders for first time in over two weeks

That’s the first day to go by without any additional cases here for over two weeks.

The last standstill statistic for coronavirus reported in the region was on Tuesday, May 5, immediately preceded by another the day before.

The 322 cases confirmed here are among 14,856 nationwide, up from 14,751 yesterday.

Across the UK, 250,908 people have tested positive for the disease, up 2,615 on the day before.

It’s well 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 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.

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 on Tuesday; and 322 yesterday.

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

Figures issued by the National Records of Scotland yesterday, 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 on Tuesday, May 19.

They are among 2,134 coronavirus patients killed by the disease in Scotland so far, up from 2,105 overnight, and 36,042 UK-wide, a rise of 338 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 1,892 and 2,611 respectively.

Altogether, 43 Scots are in intensive care receiving treatment for coronavirus, along with another eight suspected to be infected but awaiting test results.

Hospitals in the region are currently treating 12 patients confirmed to have Covid-19.

Some 95,173 tests for the illness have been carried out in Scotland so far, with 80,317 giving negative results.

In a document presented to the Scottish Parliament today giving details of the lockdown exit strategy now being drawn up, Scottish Government first minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “We all want to get back to some semblance of normality, whether that’s seeing our friends and family, getting back to work or school or just being able to spend our free time in the way we want to.

“This document sets out the steps that will take us there. It doesn’t have all the answers and it doesn’t set exact timescales. That’s because we are still learning about the virus.

“We will have to move carefully and gradually to ensure we keep it under control and develop the best ways of doing so.

“Too many people have lost their lives to this disease already, and we cannot risk another peak, most importantly because that would mean more deaths but also because it would mean another lockdown.

“This week we have also seen what the hard work of lockdown has achieved, with a continuing fall in the number of deaths and in the number of people in intensive care, but we know the lockdown is doing harm of its own.

“It is causing loneliness and social isolation, deepening inequalities and damaging the economy.

“None of us want it to last any longer than it has to, so we are setting out the phases by which we will aim to ease lockdown.

“They are gradual and incremental and will be matched with careful monitoring of the virus.

“We may, at times, need to hit the brakes on easing. However, it may also be that we are able to ease restrictions faster than we initially thought that we could.”