The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Surge in Covid-19 cases as Scotland death toll hits 76
● Sturgeon reveals big spike in infections ● UK Governmen tto take over tests rollout ● Capital’s festival summer wiped out ● Wimbledon and Euro play-offs hit
Nicola Sturgeon has warned the number of coronavirus patients in intensive care will continue to rise “for a further two or three weeks at least” after cases in Scotland surged by more than 300 overnight. The first minister confirmed a further 16 people have now died from the illness, taking the total number of deaths in Scotland to 76 and confirmed cases to 2,310 – an increase of 317 from Tuesday.
Ms Sturgeon stressed the figures are an underestimate and the real numbers are likely to be significantly higher.
Some 147 people are now being treated in intensive care for the virus, taking the total number of patients in Scottish hospitals to 1,153.
The first minister said an initial target to double the number of intensive care beds to 360 had been reached, with 250 of these for use exclusively by Covid-19 patients. It is expected this number will be expanded to more than 700.
Addressing MSPs, Ms Sturgeon said the number of cases was rising rapidly.
“Of course, we hope the lockdown measures we are asking people to comply with will have a marked effect on the spread of the virus and that we will see a slowdown in the next few weeks,” she said.
“However, given that these measures take some time to have an impact, it is too early to draw any firm conclusions yet.”
The Scottish Government is “working at pace” to boost its ability to test suspected cases, Ms Sturgeon said, with the number of tests being done each day sitting at 1,900 – a rise from 750 a few weeks ago.
It is hoped testing can increase further to 3,500 per day by the end of April and priority will be given to key workers and those with serious illnesses.
Ms Sturgeon added: “We want to accelerate testing so more key workers can be tested, but it’s not a complete panacea for everything.
“I understand the frustrations and the desire to see us increase testing, but in terms of having the equipment and staff trained to do it, it’s not something we can do overnight.”
The first minister said 34 million items of personal protective equipment have been delivered to hospitals over the past six weeks and almost eight million items are being been issued across primary care and social care – around eight weeks’ supply.
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has confirmed sealed isolation pods will be used by the ambulance service to safely airlift Covid-19 patients.
The new adult-sized incubators, known as EpiShuttles, are being tested and are expected to come into use within days.
“We hope the lockdown measures will have an effect”
Ms Freeman said the ambulance service will kit out two Loganair Twin Otter planes with the new shuttles.
The Scottish Government also confirmed £950 million will be given to local authorities to help prop up businesses.
An emergency hospital in Glasgow to tackle the coronavirus outbreak will be named after a First World War nurse.
The facility, announced earlier this week, will be ready to open at the Scottish Events Campus (SEC) in Glasgow in the next two weeks.
Yesterday, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said it will be named after Louisa Jordan, a First World War nurse from Glasgow who lost her life in Serbia.