‘ HIGH AND RISING’ CITY CASES STILL CAUSE FOR CONCERN
Positive tests in Glasgow area increase by one third overnight as new restrictions take effect
CORONAVIRUS in Glasgow is “high and rising” warned Nicola Sturgeon as she urged people to follow the new restrictions placed on the city.
Positive coronavirus cases in Greater Glasgow have jumped by one third in 24 hours according to the latest figures.
The First Minister announced the latest statistics which showed 86 people tested positive in Greater Glasgow and Clyde in the last 24 hours.
On Tuesday, the number was 66, which sparked the announcement of a new partial lockdown on Glasgow city and two other areas in Greater Glasgow.
It takes the total to 260 in the area in the last four days.
People are being told not to visit other households indoors for the next two weeks.
Hospital visits are being restricted to essential visits only and care home visits can only take place outdoors.
Ms Sturgeon revealed there had been another 156 positive cases across Scotland and 256 people were in hospital.
More than half were in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.
The restrictions apply in
Glasgow, East Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire.
The First Minister said: “The level of Covid- 19 is particularly high and rising in these areas.”
On why the city restrictions are different and less restrictive than the lockdown in Aberdeen last month, Ms Sturgeon said different measures are needed to tackle the different nature of the outbreaks.
She said: “The data that we now get from test and protect allows us to be much more targeted in the measures that we take.
“We know that, unlike in the pub- based cluster in Aberdeen a few weeks ago, the data so far suggest that transmission in the west of Scotland is happening not exclusively, but mainly, in people’s homes.”
She added: “If we let it, this virus will spread rapidly. Please make sure you know the rules and follow them.”
Ms Sturgeon said that information and guidance was being supplied to universities and colleges about the rules students need to follow in Glasgow.
Patrick Harvie, Green MSP for Glasgow, said he was concerned about students, particularly international students, arriving in Glasgow and Scotland as the new term is about to start.
Thousands of students come from all around the world to Glasgow to study at universities and colleges.
He said: “In the coming weeks thousands of young people will be coming to university in the
Glasgow area.
“It’s vital they are helped to understand the new restrictions and are supported to be safe in their new accommodation.”
He asked the First Minister: “What role will testing play in ensuring that the start of term will not increase the risk to communities or university staff?”
Ms Sturgeon said that quarantine was the key method of ensuring the arrival of students from abroad did not lead to a rise in cases. She said that was a more effective method than testing students on arrival.
Ms Sturgeon said: “The balance of judgment that we have reached on students coming from countries that are deemed to pose the highest risk is that quarantine is the most effective measure.
“If testing is seen to be an alternative to that, that could inadvertently increase the risk through a student arriving, getting a negative test and not quarantining although they might test positive later in the incubation period.
“Quarantine is what we have said is the most important measure in that regard.”