Coronavirus cases spike at weekend

Positive test numbers up two days in a row

Scotland has recorded 23 new confirmed cases of coronavirus, the biggest increase in almost a month. The number of new cases has risen in each of the last five days, up from three on Tuesday, but no further deaths from the disease have been recorded.

The previous high for new cases was on Sunday June 21, when there were 26 positive test results.

A total of 18,445 people in Scotland have now tested positive for Covid-19.

There were 302 coronavirus patients in hospital as of Saturday evening, three of whom were in intensive care along with another patient who is suspected of having the infection.

There have been five new cases confirmed in the Grampian area, taking the total to 1,440, and 29 people are in hospital.

In the Highlands, one person has been diagnosed with the virus since Saturday.

There have been no new cases in the islands.

Since the pandemic began, there have been 54 positive cases on Shetland, nine on Orkney and seven in the Western Isles.

According to the Scottish Government’s latest figures the number of tests carried out in NHS Scotland laboratories fell to 2,771, the lowest since June 8 and a sharp drop from the 4,461 tests announced on Saturday.

Tests carried out through mobile, drive-through and home testing accounted for a further 9,366 carried out in the 24-hour period.

Suspected cases of coronavirus in Scottish care homes have risen by 23, according to the latest figures.

There were 84 care homes that, on Saturday, had at least one resident infected with the virus – 8% of all Scotland’s care homes.

Since the start of the pandemic, 695 (64%) care homes have reported at least one suspected case of coronavirus to the Care Inspectorate, with a total of 6,801 suspected cases.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon urged people to follow the government’s advice about wearing face coverings in enclosed spaces, avoiding crowded places, cleaning hands, two-metre social distancing and self-isolating if you have symptoms.

She tweeted: “This is still a low number of cases – and fluctuation is to be expected – but they will all be carefully examined, so that any patterns are identified.

“Test & Protect is also working to break the chains of transmission.”

Meanwhile, production of face coverings has begun at two sites across the UK as part of a £14 million government investment in manufacturing millions of coverings each week, a minister has announced.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove said suppliers in Port Talbot, Wales, and Blackburn in northwest England had started producing “high-quality” face coverings, with another site in Livingston to begin in the coming weeks.

Face coverings are compulsory on public transport in England and the government has made it mandatory to wear them in shops and supermarkets in England from Friday. They are already mandatory in Scotland.

The Cabinet Office said the government had bought 10 production lines, which include 34 tons of equipment and machinery, while a further 10 have been commissioned from Coventry-based automotive company Expert Tooling & Automation.

The first production lines are being established at the British Rototherm Group in Port Talbot, Cookson & Clegg in Blackburn, and Transcal in Livingston.

The PA news agency understands the 20 production lines bought by the government are phase one while a second phase is expected to start producing late next month, with government investment in both phases totalling £14 million.

It will ensure public demand for face coverings does not hit the supply of higher-grade face masks for NHS frontline staff, the Cabinet Office said.

“Test & Protect is also working to break the chains”

Unite has launched a campaign to protect jobs linked to Scottish airports