Aberdeen outbreak ‘could take weeks to contain’
A further 28 coronavirus cases have emerged in Grampian amid concerns the outbreak linked to pubs in Aberdeen is continuing to spread.
Nicola Sturgeon said yesterday she was confident the outbreak in the Granite City was gradually being “brought under control” but national clinical director Professor Jason Leitch warned such outbreaks were likely to take weeks to get on top of.
The First Minister said there had been 328 cases in the north-east since 26 July, with 198 believed to be linked to the Aberdeen outbreak.
There have been more than 1,000 contacts identified linked to the outbreak.
“Contact tracing continues for what remains a very large and very complex outbreak,” Ms Sturgeon said.
“We will continue to see new cases and new contacts identified in Aberdeen in the coming days. But we are hopeful that this is an outbreak that will be brought firmly under control.”
The rate of increase has slowed in Aberdeen, but Prof Leitch warned that major clusters were likely to last weeks before the curve starts to head downwards, indicating a fall in fresh cases.
“In Grampian we think the curve has slowed,” he said.
“The acceleration has slowed, but we haven’t yet bent the curve. In Melbourne it took four weeks of their six-week proposed lockdown in order to bend the curve.
“This weekend is week three of the Aberdeen lockdown. This virus unfortunately doesn’t behave in 24-hour cycles – it behaves in week, fortnightly, three-week cycles.”
The UK Government has been told the Eat Out to Help Out initiative should be extended in Aberdeen after the city was put in lockdown in the first week of the discounted food scheme.
A cross-party appeal from political representatives in the north-east of Scotland, alongside the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), urged the UK Government to reintroduce the month-long scheme once restrictions had been lifted.
The policy gives diners 50 per cent off their food and non-alcoholic drinks, up to a maximum discount of £10 per person, with the Government then reimbursing restaurants.
It applies on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout August.
But with Aberdeen’s bars, cafes and restaurants ordered to close on 5 August and travel restrictions placed on residents due to the outbreak, there are calls for the scheme to be extended so would-be diners and businesses can still take advantage of the offer.
A petition to reschedule the scheme – launched by Khalis Miah, who runs Riksha restaurant in Union Square – had received more than 1,150 signatures by yesterday afternoon.
The FSB in Scotland has now written to Scottish secretary Alister Jack making the case for an extension.
David Groundwater, FSB’S development manager for the north-east, argued that an extension would not increase the cost to the Government “as Aberdeen isn’t benefiting from it at present”.
He said: “Like businesses across the length of the country, independent restaurants and cafes in Aberdeen have had an awful year.”