No rise in Covid-19 cases or fatalities in Borders, latest figures reveal, but first minister warns of daily battle

No new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the Borders for nearing two weeks, according to the latest figures.
Nicola Sturgeon at today's Scottish Government Covid-19 outbreak briefing.Nicola Sturgeon at today's Scottish Government Covid-19 outbreak briefing.
Nicola Sturgeon at today's Scottish Government Covid-19 outbreak briefing.

The cumulative total for positive tests in the region remains at 347, as it has done since going up by one to that number on Saturday, July 25.

The death toll claimed by the disease also remains static, at 74.

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That means over three weeks have now gone by since the last fatality claimed here by the virus, also known as Covid-19, was reported by the National Records of Scotland on Sunday, July 12.

The 74 fatalities for the region cited in figures issued today, August 5, taking into account all deaths linked to coronavirus, not just among those previously tested and found to be infected, are among 4,208 nationwide measured by those criteria.

It’s now been over a month and a half since the death toll here claimed by coronavirus went up by more than a single case at a time, the last such occasion being a rise of three to 71 on Sunday, June 14.

Nationwide, 18,781 people have tested positive for the disease, up 64 overnight.

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It’s now over five months since Scotland’s first official diagnosis of the disease was announced on Sunday, March 1, after spreading across the world from Wuhan in China, with the first two cases in the Borders following on Wednesday, March 11.

Giving an update on the outbreak in Edinburgh today, Scottish Government first minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “An additional 64 positive cases were confirmed yesterday, which includes 36 in Grampian. There are also 15 cases, according to my provisional information that have been reported in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, and we will be paying very close attention to those and any possible patterns as well.

“These 64 cases, the highest daily number we’ve reported for quite some time, represent 1.3% of the people who were newly tested yesterday, and they take the total number of positive cases in Scotland now to 18,781.

“A total of 267 patients are currently in hospital who have been confirmed with the virus. That is three fewer than the number yesterday.

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“A total of three people last night were in intensive care with confirmed Covid-19. Yesterday’s reported figure of four was later revised down to three, so today’s number is actually the same as yesterday.

“Finally, in some very welcome good news today, I am glad to say that, yet again, during the past 24 hours, no deaths were registered of a patient confirmed through a test in the past 28 days as having Covid-19 and the total number of deaths, under that measurement, remains at 2,491.

“However, the latest National Records of Scotland weekly report covering the period to Sunday, August 2, shows that, by Sunday, the total number of registered deaths with either a confirmed or a presumed link to Covid was 4,208.

“National Records of Scotland has also reported that the total number of deaths recorded last week, from all causes, was 40 higher than the five-year average for the same time of year.

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“In general, though these figures show the same trend as our daily figures. They confirm that Covid, as of now, has been driven to very low levels in Scotland, but there is absolutely no room for complacency.

“The figures also remind us that more than 4,000 people have lost their lives to this virus.

“Each one of those was an irreplaceable human being whose loss will be mourned by many, and my condolences again go to everybody who has lost a loved one.”

Ms Sturgeon added: “This virus hasn’t gone away. If you doubted that, then today we have evidence of how true that is. It is still out there, and it is still highly infectious and it is still highly dangerous.

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“The outbreak in Aberdeen is a sharp reminder of that. It shows what can happen if we let our guard drop, and it should serve as a warning to all of us.

“Just because many of the restrictions have been eased across the country doesn’t mean we can simply go back to normal.

“We are still in a real daily battle with this virus, and so we must all continue to exercise extreme caution.

“Every single one of us is the first line of defence against this virus.

“Our job, as citizens, as human beings, is to try to make sure the fires don’t start in the first place. We need to make sure that the virus doesn’t get past our defences.”