Changes in cases of Covid

Cases of Covid-19 in Perth and Kinross have been declining at one of the fastest rates in Scotland, according to recent figures.

And, at one stage, the seven-day transmission rate for the region was about half that of the national rate.

Between February 12 and 18, 82 positive cases were detected in Perth and Kinross at a rate of 54 per 100,000.

That compared with a national rate of 104.6 per 100,000 and 5715 cases in Scotland over those seven days.

However, the latest seven-day rate – published on Tuesday this week – shows a slight rise in cases.

Between February 13 and February 19, 92 positive cases were detected in Perth and Kinross at an infection rate of 60.5 per 100,000.

Over those same seven days Public Health Scotland reported 5676 people tested positive for Covid-19 in Scotland at a positive infection rate of 103.9 per 100,000.

However, Perth and Kinross, Dundee and Angus are still all recording figures well below the Scottish average.

Last week NHS Tayside’s director of public health Emma Fletcher said she was“delighted”the number of cases across Tayside as a whole was the lowest it has been for a couple of months.

In a video posted by the health board Dr Fletcher thanked both the vaccinators and those being vaccinated in coming out in all weathers to receive their jabs.

Around 120,000 jabs have been administered to over one third of the Tayside population eligible for the vaccine.

Dr Fletcher stressed re-opening schools to more pupils would only be possible if cases continue to fall.

She said:“The impact of the re-opening on new cases will be closely monitored over the next few weeks.

“Further re-opening will only be possible as long as cases remain low and don’t start to increase again.”

Councillor Eric Drysdale is responsible for health decisions as chair of the Perth and Kinross Integration Joint Board and is a member of the NHS Tayside board.

He said:“The prevalence within Perth and Kinross as a whole has – I believe - reduced at the fastest rate in mainland Scotland over the last week or two, and we are now at a level of new cases around half of the national rate.

“While this is very encouraging we know that case numbers can quickly spike again, and indeed there are still a few localised pockets within the local authority area where case numbers remain a little higher.

“With the vast majority of people over 65 years of age having now been vaccinated, and those aged 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions receiving offers of vaccination from today onwards and over coming weeks, the hope must be that the light at the end of the tunnel will continue to grow brighter as we come out of winter and look forward to a new spring.”