Coronavirus - Local News

People without Covid symptoms will no longer be asked to take regular lateral flow tests from Monday, April 18.

Seven day figures for Aberdeenshire have shown a drop in cases to a level last seen at the end of February.

People in Aberdeenshire continue to be encouraged to do a lateral flow test twice a week and to also test before meeting someone at high risk.

Figures for Scotland as a whole and the NHS Grampian area have seen an upturn.

Today marks the second anniversary of lockdown, a time when Scotland recorded 83 cases compared to today's 12,421.

Rates of positive cases are very gradually starting to slow across areas in the north-east.

Area rates have slowed across most of Aberdeenshire with the notable exception of Ythanside which incorporates Newburgh seeing a large increase.

Aberdeenshire Council is continuing to work with NHS Grampian to make lateral flow tests available for people without Covid symptoms.

Overall figures continue to rise, but the rate of increase has slowed down for NHS Grampian.

MSP Richard Lochhead has written to Moray Council seeking an update on its plans for its share of Covid Recovery Fund cash.

Cases continue to rise in some areas including Turriff and Mintlaw as Public Health Scotland address issues surrounding daily figures.

Data issues have affected NHS Grampian's overall total but area cases continue to rise, most recently in Insch and Huntly.

Targeted testing will come into effect from April 18.

In an update to Holyrood today the First Minister has said that the measure will remain in place

Figures have not been available since Friday amid growing hospital admissions and the spread of the BA2 variant.

Aberdeenshire Council is continuing to work with NHS Grampian to make lateral flow tests available for people without Covid symptoms.

Durno - Chapel of Garioch which takes in areas such as housing at Uryside saw over 150 positives in a week.

NHS Grampian accounted for over 10 per cent of the national total as cases continue to rise.

Some 68 per cent of people who responded said they would continue to use them.

Cases in Aberdeenshire are accelerating far ahead of the city, but considerable rises in Moray have also been noted in the past few days.