First Minister's warning after Aberdeen Covid-19 cluster
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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has issued a stark warning to those who have abused social distancing following events in Aberdeen over the weekend.
In the daily update on the Covid-19 statistics an additional 18 positive cases were confirmed yesterday.
This represents 0.7per cent of the people who were newly tested yesterday, and it takes the total number of cases in Scotland to 18,694.
The First Minister said: "Provisional information is that 11 of the 18 new cases are in the Grampian Health Board area - though I cannot yet say if some or all are linked to the outbreak in Aberdeen.
"I am very glad and relieved to say that yet again during the last 24 hours, no deaths were registered of a patient confirmed through a test in the previous 28 days as having Covid-19.
"The total number of deaths, under this particular measure, therefore remains 2491.
"Although we are now reporting fewer deaths on a daily basis, that total reminds us of the impact this virus has had on families across the country. I want to again extend my condolences to everyone who has suffered loss.
"We have had over the weekend as you may have seen in the media a number of small outbreaks, of relatively low numbers across the country.
"The most significant of these is the cluster that is currently being dealt with in Aberdeen.
"I can confirm that, as of now, 13 positive cases have been identified as associated with this cluster - though that number may yet rise.
"Each of the cases so far is linked to the Hawthorns Bar in Aberdeen.
"I want to thank that business for acting swiftly and for co-operating fully with the guidance and procedures to contain the cluster.
"An incident management team – led by NHS Grampian – met over the weekend.
"It is working with the Scottish Government, Health Protection Scotland and local environmental health teams to trace contacts, inspect premises, and do everything possible to minimise onward transmission. I am very grateful for those efforts.
"And we will, of course, provide more details as and when they become available.
"We’ve seen a few of these clusters now - and unfortunately, it’s very likely that we’ll see more in the weeks ahead.
She stressed: "This particular cluster in Aberdeen is, if I’m honest, exactly what I feared when we re-opened hospitality.
"And it’s what I was talking about last week, when I urged people to think carefully about how often you need to go to a pub or a restaurant right now, and the care you take while there.
"Of course, it is not just this incident in Aberdeen.
"Across the country, and across social media, we’re seeing evidence of people – and it’s largely younger people – gathering together, with little or no physical distancing in place.
"I’ve seen pictures on social media from this weekend that - not to put too fine a point on it - made me want to cry looking at them."
She continued: "I know what a hard slog it is every single day right now to keep this virus under control.
"That’s a hard slog by people here in the Scottish Government but even more so people working in test and protect and our local public health teams across the country.
"It is a hard slog by the many businesses doing the right things, and of course members of the public who continue to make very hard sacrifices right now.
"But every time one person throws caution to the wind and flouts the rules, they put all of us at risk.
"And the reality is they put all of us at risk and they make the job of everybody working to try to control this virus that much harder.
"So I know this year has been really difficult.
"The most difficult most of us can remember.
"I know people have missed socialising; and I know that as we exit lockdown – in a summer where we can’t really travel – things can get frustrating.
"But I urge all of you to please follow the rules - not just for yourself, although it is for your health and wellbeing, but it’s also about your friends, members of your family and also about the good of the country and the economy overall.
"So we don’t have to put restrictions on hospitality back in place.
She concluded: "But be in no doubt, if we have to we will - because we will have no choice."
