Coronavirus / Number of confirmed Covid cases still on the rise
Three patients with worsening Covid symptoms flown to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
A FURTHER seven people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Shetland, bringing the total number of cases recorded since the start of the pandemic to 182.
NHS Shetland said on Tuesday that most of these new cases were family contacts of existing infections. More Covid cases are anticipated to be confirmed over the coming days.
Meanwhile, the health board confirmed that a total of three patients with worsening Covid symptoms have been flown to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary during the last seven days.
Director for nursing and acute services with NHS Shetland Kathleen Carolan said the patients transferred to Aberdeen were not requiring ventilation.
“This has been a decision that has been pre-emptive, made by the clinical team in order to ensure that people who have worsening symptoms are able to access specialist care early,” she said.
Consultant in public health Dr Susan Laidlaw said the total number of new confirmed cases among people living in Shetland since mid-December was now 105.
“The number of cases each day has dropped considerably since the peak between Christmas and New Year, but we have not gone back yet to where we were before with a very small number of cases.”
Dr Laidlaw said many people had mild symptoms, and some have none at all, but there were some who were becoming very ill as well.
She appealed to people with even mild Covid symptoms to book a test. Symptoms included a new cough, fever and loss of taste and smell.
Dr Laidlaw said the guidance was still to avoid all unnecessary contact with people outside their household or extended household.
“Hand washing remains one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of the virus,” she added.
Shetland continues to be in level three of coronavirus restrictions while measures introduced to mainland Scotland are nearer to lockdown.
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