Coronavirus in Scotland: Covid cases hit a four-month high

Daily cases of coronavirus in Scotland have reached a four-month high, the latest statistics from the Scottish government show.

A total of 221 people tested positive for the virus in the past 24 hours, the highest daily number since May 8, when there were 225 positive tests.

Statistics also show that there were no more deaths after a positive Covid test.

It occurs when tighter coronavirus restrictions are imposed on people in North and South Lanarkshire.

They are not allowed to meet other households in their homes or visit other people’s homes.

Similar measures already exist in Glasgow, East and West Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire.

Daily statistics also show that 106 of the positive tests were recorded in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area.

In the NHS Lanarkshire area there were 48 new cases and 35 in Lothian.

There was at least one positive case in each of the areas of the health board of the continent.

On twitter, the prime minister urged people to follow public health advice.

“More than ever we must remember that what we do as individuals now affects the well-being of all. Let us take care of each other,” he added.

‘This is not good news’

And Professor Jason Leitch, Scotland’s national clinical director, admitted that 221 positive cases were “a large number compared to what we have become used to.”

“As we open up, it is inevitable that the virus has found new ways to move from one home to another, and that is all it wants to do; it wants to find new people to infect,” he told BBC Scotland.

“They’ve seen us carry out pretty harsh interventions and restrictions in some areas, which won’t work instantly. It will take days, weeks, even several weeks, to show the numbers.

“This is not good news, but it is what we expected. The virus does not work in 24-hour cycles, it works in cycles of two to three weeks.”

Professor Leitch acknowledged that many people may be beginning to feel “lockdown fatigue” after six months of crisis.

But we can’t “just wish [coronavirus] away, “he added.

The increase in cases in recent weeks has prompted a change in the rules when it comes to group meetings.

Until now, eight people from three households had been allowed to gather indoors in Scotland and up to 15 from five households outdoors.

But starting Monday, this will change to six people from two households and will apply both indoors and outdoors in Scotland, including in homes, gardens, pubs and restaurants.

Milestone for Scotland Contact Tracking App

By Saturday, Scotland’s contact tracing app Protect Scotland had been downloaded 800,000 times.

The app, which launched earlier in the week, uses Bluetooth technology to alert users if they have been in prolonged close contact with someone who has since tested positive for Covid-19.

A study from the University of Oxford stated that even with an uptake of just 15%, a contact tracing app can reduce infections by about 8% and deaths by about 6%, if part of a manual strategy track and trace.

Nicola Sturgeon said it was a “great milestone”, adding that it represented approximately 20% of the adult population.

“We know it will make a difference at that level.” he said, “but the more they use it, the bigger the difference.”

He urged Scots to encourage their friends and family to download the app.