Coronavirus: 13 more cases in cluster-hit Grampian area

There are 13 new coronavirus cases in the Grampian area where a cluster broke out in a number of Aberdeen pubs.

The new infections confirmed on Monday account for half of all of the 26 cases identified in Scotland in the last 24 hours.

Speaking at the Scottish Government’s coronavirus briefing, Nicola Sturgeon said the health board area has seen 380 new cases since July 26.

Of those, 207 are directly linked to the early August outbreak at The Hawthorn Bar and a range of other venues and clubs in Aberdeen.

Public health officials have identified 1050 contacts linked to the growing cluster of cases, the First Minister said.

Aberdeen has been in local lockdown for nearly two weeks, with hospitality venues closed and non-essential travel restricted to five miles.

Sturgeon also acknowledged ongoing work to tackle smaller local clusters in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, and north-east Glasgow, both of which have seen high school pupils infected.

And she confirmed a new cluster at a 2 Sisters factory in Coupar Angus, Perthshire, where there are four positive cases.

Sturgeon said: “These clusters obviously show that this virus is still out there and it continues to pose a very real and serious risk.”

The First Minister added a new strategy will be set out to further boost Covid testing in Scotland ahead of flu and cold outbreaks in the winter months.

It will aim to increase the capacity for testing in Scotland from 40,000 per day currently to 65,000 per day, as well as improving accessibility to tests.

While the top priority is still the testing of those with symptoms of Covid-19, the First Minister said the secondary priority would be to test those who have been in contact with people who have the virus.

People working in high-risk environments such as care homes will be the third priority, she said.

No new deaths among Covid-19 patients have been reported but 248 people are in hospital with the virus, five more than the day before.

Of those, three are being treated in intensive care, which is unchanged on yesterday.