No rise in Covid-19 cases in Borders for fourth day in a row for first time since disease arrived here

That’s the first time four 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 15,101 nationwide, up from 15,041 yesterday.

Across the UK, 257,154 people have tested positive for the disease, up 2,959 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.

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 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 2,270 coronavirus patients killed by the disease in Scotland so far, up from 2,261 overnight, and 36,675 UK-wide, a rise of 282 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 258, but is still well below the two others, Lanarkshire and Lothian being up to 1,934 and 2,665 respectively.

Altogether, 33 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.

Almost 102,000 tests for the illness have been carried out in Scotland so far, with 86,612 returning negative results.

Giving an update in Edinburgh today on the outbreak, Scottish Government health secretary Jeane Freeman said: “There have been 15,101 positive cases confirmed, an increase of 60 from yesterday.

“A total of 1,329 patients are in hospital with Covid-19, 845 who have been confirmed as having Covid and 484 who are suspected of having the virus. That represents a total change of 24 from yesterday, including an increase of four in the number of confirmed cases.

“A total of 44 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, and that is a decrease of six since yesterday.

“In the last 24 hours, nine deaths have been registered of patients confirmed through a test as having Covid-19. That takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 2,270.

“As always, I want to stress that these numbers are not simply statistics. They represent individuals who were loved, who were valued and whose loss is a source of grief to very many, so I want to send my deepest condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one to this virus.”

She added: “The people in our health and social care services are doing a tremendous job, but they need us to play our part, and part of that is by following the rules that we have put in place.

“We hope that later in the week we will be able to confirm that some lockdown restrictions, especially relating to outdoor activities, will be relaxed, but even if those restrictions are relaxed, some key advice – including isolating if you have symptoms of Covid, as well on physical distancing, washing your hands and the use of face coverings – will remain the same. In fact, they will become even more important, to avoid undoing all the progress that you have made through your sacrifices and your compliance with the rules.

“For the moment, however, all our key public health guidance remains unchanged, so please stay at home except for essential purposes, such as daily exercise, buying essential items such as food or medicine or going to essential work which you cannot do from home.

“I know that this is a bank holiday weekend and that talk of emerging from lockdown probably makes following these restrictions even harder, but the fact that we have stuck with them so far, that is what makes it possible to think about relaxing them.

“By doing the right thing, all of us – all of you – are helping to slow the spread of the virus, protecting our NHS and you are saving lives.”