Coronavirus: Nicola Sturgeon ‘undoubtedly concerned’ as Scotland cases hit three-month high

‘I feel a greater sense of anxiety today than I have done any time probably in the last couple of months,’ says first minister

The Scottish leader says the country is in a ‘fragile’ situation (AFP/Getty)

Scotland’s first minister has said she feels “a greater sense of anxiety” than at any time in the past couple of months after the number of positive coronavirus cases in Scotland hit a three-month high.

Nicola Sturgeon said the increased number of cases is “undoubtedly a concern” and urged Scots to remain vigilant in suppressing the virus if the country is to “retain a bit more normality in our lives”.

One hundred and sixty new Covid-19 infections have been recorded in the last 24 hours, the highest total since mid-May and an increase on the 123 cases announced on Sunday.

It brings the total number of cases in Scotland since the pandemic began to 20,478. No deaths have been announced in almost a week.

Most of the new cases are centred in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area, which recorded 69 new infections. Lanarkshire recorded 27.

Ms Sturgeon said the new figures were “partly a result of greater numbers of people being tested” and stressed that the proportion of people testing positive remained below 1 per cent.

Speaking at the daily coronavirus briefing in Edinburgh, she said: “The number of cases we are seeing right now is a reminder to all of us the virus is still a very real risk, it is a development that concerns me and it is one we are taking very seriously.

“We mustn’t lose sight of how important it is – if we are to keep schools open, build economic recovery and retain a bit more normality in our lives – that we do continue to suppress the virus and push as close to elimination of it as we possibly can.”

The increase in cases in Greater Glasgow and Clyde “seems to reflect a number of small clusters, rather than one or two more significant outbreaks”, she added.

An incident management team was investigating a cluster of 22 cases in Ayrshire and Arran, which Ms Sturgeon said “seem to be linked to indoor gatherings that took place the previous weekend”.

In the Scottish Borders, a cluster in Hawick increased to 15 people and a mobile testing unit is operating in the town. In Coupar Angus, 188 coronavirus cases are now linked to the 2 Sisters food-processing plant there, Ms Sturgeon said.

Despite the rising cases, Scotland took more steps out of lockdown on Monday. Gyms and indoor swimming pools can now reopen and youth groups, such as Cubs and Brownies, as well as parent and baby groups, can resume.

The move to reopen gyms and pools would be a “major relief for people who work in the leisure centre”, said Ms Sturgeon.

“The reopening is a further welcome step in getting back to normal, it is important for wider health and wellbeing,” she said.

“But it also obviously brings risks, there is no getting away from that, and that is why we have delayed this until now.

“The figures we are seeing just now for new cases demonstrate very clearly that this virus is still present across the country, it will spread rapidly if it gets the chance.”

Scottish citizens were urged to “continue to make sure you are not doing anything that gives the virus the chance to spread” as it is still “immensely dangerous for some people”, she warned.

Ms Sturgeon ended the briefing by issuing a plea for people to “think very carefully” about how they are going about their daily lives, emphasising the “fragile” state the country is in as lockdown restrictions are gradually lifted, which allows the virus “opportunities to spread”.

“There have been some really dark moments along the way since the start of March,” she said. “And, more recently, there have been moments of greater hope and optimism.

“I have always tried to be frank with you about my assessments and feelings about the situation that we are in, which is why I feel able to say to you today – and feel that it is important I say to you – that I feel a greater sense of anxiety today than I have done any time probably in the last couple of months.”