Omicron cases spark protection reminder
People across the Strath and beyond have been urged to adhere to current Covid protections as the first cases of the new Omicron variant are revealed in Scotland.
Nine positive cases of the variant, which first came to light in southern Africa, were confirmed by Tuesday this week – although none as yet in the NHS Tayside health board area.
It is believed that some of the latest cases have been caught at a private event within the communities themselves as opposed to being linked to recent travel, with all close contacts being asked to self-isolate for the next 10 days regardless of their vaccination status.
At a special briefing on Monday morning, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon labelled the new variant “the most challenging development in the course of the pandemic for quite some time”.
Ms Sturgeon also stressed for everyone to “significantly step up and increase compliance” with existing measures including the use of face masks, maintaining hand hygiene and getting vaccinated while more information is discovered.
Ms Sturgeon said:“The Scottish Government will consider carefully in the coming days whether any further actions are required, as we get more information about the impact of Omicron, and the extent of its presence in Scotland.”
Meanwhile, two more people in Perth and Kinross have died as a result of conditions linked to coronavirus.
The National Records of Scotland office confirmed the two residents passed away during the course of last week, making it five overall this month.
A total of 298 individuals in the region have now died from the virus since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March last year.
Despite the deaths, recent Public Health Scotland (PHS) figures show that the Covid-19 infection rate in Perth and Kinross has continued to drop during the course of November.
In the week ending Sunday, November 21, the seven-day infection rate was 336.4 per 100,000 people after 511 positive cases were recorded.
The rate for the previous week was 429.2 per 100,000, with 652 positive cases recorded.
The percentage of positive tests decreased from 11.3 per cent to 8.9 per cent during this two-week period.
However, 11 neighbourhoods are still recording infection rates of over 400 per 100,000 people on average, which is the highest category recorded by PHS.
At a previous briefing, Ms Sturgeon warned people to stick with Covid guidance over the upcoming festive period – or face the potential introduction of further restrictions.
Ms Sturgeon said: “We all desperately want a more normal Christmas than last year. But we must – all of us – take sensible, proportionate measures to reduce the risk of a new year hangover of surging cases, more pressure on the NHS, and an inevitability of renewed restrictions.”