‘Ground zero’ Covid fears as universities plan return

● Another 123 positive results reported – but Scotland’s daily tests have also reached highest level since start of pandemic

The risk of infection on campuses could see universities become “ground zero” for a second wave of C ovid -19 unless they avoid face-to-face teaching, academics have warned.

The movement of an expected one million students around Britain as they return to universities in the next month has led the University and College Union (UCU) to warn the government is “encouraging a public health crisis”.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said the mass movement “could lead to universities being the care

Scotland has seen another steep rise in daily coronavirus cases as the number of people testing positive went up by 123 yesterday.

This is up from 88 the pre - vious day and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon admitted that the latest figures are a “worry”.

But there are no new deaths, meaning that six weeks have now passed since the last fatality involving someone who has tested positive for the virus.

Daily tests have also reached the highest level since the start of the pandemic.

A total of 20,318 people have now contracted the virus, according to the Scottish Government.

However, the increase of 123 yesterday is 0.7 per cent of the total tested, the same figure as the day before. The rise is the highest in more than a week, when the same number was recorded on 22 August.

Ms Sturgeon has repeatedly said that World Health Organisation guidance states the pandemic is under control if the number of new daily cases is less than 5 per cent of those tested.

Ms Sturgeon said on Twitter yesterday :“123 Covid cases reported today. The circumstances and any connections/ patterns are being closely examined, and Test & Protect is working hard to break transmission chains.

“While the increase is of course a worry, it is important to note that the positivity rate remains below 1%.”

The combined figure for Saturday (88) and yesterday (123) was the biggest leap in positive cases in 48 hours since 22 May.

Yesterday’ s figure matches the 123 cases which were reported just over a week ago on 22 August.

The figure for total daily tests was the highest since the start of the pandemic, the figures show.

Between Scottish and UK government- controlled testing in Scotland, 26,786 people were screened.

Current testing capacity is 40,000 during the week, the First Minister has stated previously, but the Scottish Government is looking to increase that figure to 65,000 in prep - a ration for a possible surge in demand over the winter months.

The government said 0.8 per cent of those being tested were currently coming back as positive, a slight increase on Saturday, but well within the 5 per cent threshold set out by the World Health Organisation.

No new deaths were announce by the Scottish Government yesterday, meaning the total number of people to die after a confirmed coronavirus case remains at 2,494.

The number of people in hospital with suspected or confirmed Covid-19 also dropped to 255 from 258.

Of these, five people were in intensive care, the same as the day before.

Again, the highest daily increase in cases was seen in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board, with 39. NHS Lanarkshire also saw an increase of 26. Both health boards have been dealing with localised cluster sin recent weeks. Lothian had 15 cases.

Other areas hit by outbreaks saw just a small increase, with six new cases in Grampian and seven in Tayside. Another two cases in Hawick on Saturday took its cluster up to 13.

The testing regime in Scotland will today see British Army’s Scottish Mobile Testing Unit officially be handed over to the Scottish Ambulance Service

Soldiers have conducted 100,000 Covid-19 tests in communities around Scotland, since late April, as par t of a Uk-wide testing programme.

The Army’ s support has helped the Scottish Government, NHS Scotland and Scottish communities tackle the pandemic, using its resources and skilled, trained personnel, to rapidly step up and deliver the assistance needed.

Scotland Secretary A lister Jack said: “Since the outbreak of the pandemic the men and women of the UK’ s Armed Forces have worked tirelessly

to support our response to tackle the virus.

“The 13 MOD mobile units have been vital in helping Scottish people get tested, getting to some of our most remote and rural areas. I would like to thank all the troops who have worked so hard to run the units for the past few months. We are all very grateful for their work.

“The UK government is boosting Covid testing capacity in Scotland. This includes providing six drive-through sites, the Lighthouse mega-lab in Glasgow and the opening of the walk-in testing site in St Andrews.

“This is on top of testing capacity provided by the Scottish Government.”