Glasgow to remain under strict curbs for another week

GLASGOW: Strict coronavirus restrictions are to remain in place in Glasgow for another week but will then be lifted if measures to tackle the outbreak continue to have an impact, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

The First Minister told a Covid-19 briefing that while case numbers in the city are “uncomfortably” high, there are signs both positive tests and the rate of people in hospital with the virus are stabilising.

She said a decision would be made by Wednesday at the latest on whether the city can move to Level 2 next Saturday.

Glasgow is currently in Level 3 of the five tiers of restrictions, while the rest of the country is in Level 2. People in the city are not able to meet others indoors in private residences, hug relatives, travel out of the city or drink alcohol indoors in pubs due to the more severe restrictions.

Sturgeon also said that she will confirm on Tuesday if the country as a whole can move to Level 1 as planned on June 7.

She said: “My message to the people of Glasgow is don’t lose heart. On the contrary, take heart from the progress that we are seeing.

“I live in Glasgow so I know how hard this is from my own personal life, but please continue to help with all of the public health efforts that are in place because if we continue to do this then we will make that move down from Level 3 to Level 2, and then after that hopefully get back on track and down the levels further.”

The latest figures for Scotland show two coronavirus deaths and 641 cases in the past 24 hours. It means the death toll under this daily measure – of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days – stands at 7,668. Of the new cases, 234 were in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 132 in Lothian and 104 in Lanarkshire.

Case numbers, Ms Sturgeon said, are on the rise in Scotland, with Friday’s increase the highest since March 25 and the R number in Scotland potentially rising as high as 1.3.