Cluster grows as pharmacy named over fresh Covid cases
Three more people have tested positive for coronavirus as part of a cluster of cases in the Greater Glasgow area.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) said all of the individuals were known contacts of earlier cases and are self-isolating.
The total number of positive cases now stands at 11.
An Amazon warehouse in Gourock and M&D Green pharmacy in Port Glasgow had previously been revealed as linked to the cluster.
NHSGGC has now said individuals, who may have been infectious at the time, visited a number of businesses in the Greater Glasgow area.
These included The Botany bar and restaurant in Glasgow and a boat trip with Sweeney’s Cruises in West Dunbartonshire, both on Sunday.
Individuals also visited The Queen of the Loch by Marston’s Inn in Balloch and Lomond Woods Holiday Park on the weekend of 24 July.
None of the cases are experiencing anything but mild symptoms, the health board said.
All of the businesses linked to the outbreak are continuing to operate. None of the cases linked to the pharmacy are currently working there and customers have been told it is safe to keep using its facilities.
Dr Daniel Carter, consultant in public health medicine and chairman of the incident management team dealing with the cluster, said: “All those who have tested positive for Covid-19 are self-isolating and we are working with a number of businesses, including a local pharmacy to trace any close contacts.
“We would like to take this opportunity to remind local residents of the importance of continuing with the general measures to minimise the risk of Covid-19 to themselves and to others.
“These include social distancing, regular handwashing, and being vigilant for symptoms. Anyone with symptoms should immediately self-isolate and seek a test.
“Anyone who needs to do anything over and above these general measures will be contacted by the Test and Protect service and given specific advice.
“We would also ask that anyone who has been in any of these businesses should stay vigilant and alert to any symptoms suggestive of Covid-19.”
Scotland’s national clinical director Jason Leitch has said people living in Inverclyde should not be scared to use pharmacies.
He said further contact tracing would continue yesterday and labelled pharmacies in the area as “safe”.
Prof Leitch said: “If [closing businesses] were necessary, then we would do so.
“Today we’ve been in touch with the pharmacy and we’re very comfortable with how the pharmacy has behaved both up to this point and yesterday.
“The pharmacy is open, the pharmacy is safe, the pharmacy is having interventions like testing other people or any contacts that were there and all of that is in hand.”
A spokesman for Amazon said: “We have implemented proactive measures to protect employees including increased cleaning at all facilities and maintaining social distance.”