Local Covid case rate highest in UK, figures suggest

CURRENT figures appear to show that Shetland has the highest rate of Covid per population in the whole of the UK.

Meanwhile a total of 176 new cases have been reported over the last three days in Shetland.

There were 60 reported on Saturday, 46 on Sunday and a further 70 today (Monday).

UK Government data says Shetland’s seven-day case rate per 100,000 – in the week up to 18 February – was 2,234.

By comparison Orkney’s rate was 1,433, while in the cities the numbers are much different.

Glasgow City’s rate was 762 and the City of London was 685.7.

The high number of local cases appears to be down to a combination of more people taking lateral flow tests and recording the results, as well as not as many folk not keeping to the Covid guidance as strictly as they used to.

NHS Shetland also said the winter weather has encouraged more indoor socialising, where the virus spreads better.

Interim public health director Dr Susan Laidlaw told Shetland News last week that there was now a balance “between protecting a relatively small number of vulnerable people who might get very ill and the rest of the population wanting to get back to normal”.

Meanwhile Scottish first minster Nicola Sturgeon is set to announce Scotland’s revised approach to managing the Covid pandemic on Tuesday after prime minister Boris Johnson is expected to confirm England’s plan to end Covid rules later this afternoon.