No rise in coronavirus deaths in Borders for eighth day running and no increase in cases overnight either

The first of those standstill statistics comes after rises of just one yesterday and the day before following two days going by without any new diagnoses of the disease, also known as Covid-19, being announced for the first time since mid-March.

The 286 cases confirmed here are among 13,149 nationwide, up 225 from 12,924 yesterday, May 7.

Across the UK, 206,715 people have tested positive for coronavirus, up 5,614 on the day before.

It’s nearing two months now since the first two cases of the disease were confirmed in the Borders on Wednesday, March 11, and over 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 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 last Friday; 283 on Saturday; 284 on Sunday; 285 on Wednesday; and 286 yesterday.

There’s been no increase in the number of deaths claimed by the disease in the region for eight days, and it still stands at 31.

It’s now been over a month since the first five fatalities among Covid-19 patients 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; 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; and 31 last Thursday, April 30.

They are among 1,811 coronavirus patients killed by the disease in Scotland so far, up 49 from 1,762 overnight, and 30,615 UK-wide, a rise of 539 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 255, but is still well below the two others, Lanarkshire and Lothian being up to 1,628 and 2,274 respectively.

Altogether, 84 Scots are in intensive care receiving treatment for coronavirus, with 75 having tested positive and the others awaiting results.

Some 69,191 tests for the illness have been carried out in Scotland so far, with 56,042 turning out negative.

Giving an update on the Covid-19 outbreak today in Edinburgh, Scottish Government first minister Nicola Sturgeon warned Scots not to expect as much of a loosening of the current lockdown as is reportedly being lined up south of the border.

“The four UK nations may well move at different speeds if our data about the spread of the virus says that that is necessary to suppress it,” she said.

She added that planning and messaging would continue to be co-ordinated, however.