Coronavirus: Deaths in Scotland rise by 56 to 893

Nurses putting on PPE

The RCN in Scotland has highlighted further concerns over PPE for staff on the front line

The number of people who have died after testing positive for coronavirus in Scotland has risen to 893.

The daily update released by the Scottish government showed a rise of 56 deaths since Friday.

There have been 7,820 positive tests, an increase of 411.

The number of patients in intensive care last night with confirmed or suspected Covid-19 was 182, a drop of seven since Friday. There were 1,793 patients being treated for the virus.

The figures cover patients testing positive for Covid-19 in Scotland's hospitals. The actual death toll in Scotland is now likely to be well over the 1,000 mark.

Wider figures covering all cases where the virus is mentioned on a death certificate are issued every Wednesday.

There was no official briefing by the first minister and her pandemic response team on Saturday.

The UK death toll reached 15,464 on Saturday as 888 new deaths were reported in hospitals.

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Nicola Sturgeon said in Friday's update that she believed the lockdown restrictions were working, resulting in a slowing of the rate of community transmission of the virus.

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The figures were released during another weekend in lockdown

However, fresh concerns were raised overnight by health workers about PPE.

A snapshot survey from nursing union the RCN suggested almost half of nurses working in high risk areas who responded had been asked to reuse masks and gowns that are designed for single use.

There are also worries about new guidance for hospitals in England that PPE should be re-used if necessary.

Theresa Fyffe, director of RCN Scotland said: "For them to be safe to do their job means they can actually provide the care they want.

"Not to be safe increases anxiety for staff and increases anxiety among their families and we should remember that when nurses come out of a clinical environment, having not used the right equipment, then there is a safety issue for the community they live in and for families and that is why it is very important."

Meanwhile, the British Medical Association (BMA) - which represents doctors - said any changes to guidance should be driven by science, not availability.

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Both the Scottish and UK governments say they're working to provide adequate levels of equipment.

On Friday it emerged an NHS worker in Edinburgh had died after contracting Covid-19.

Jane Murphy, who was 73, worked at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for almost 30 years, first as a cleaner before being retrained as a clinical support worker.

She had been placed on sick leave when the coronavirus outbreak first emerged due to her age.

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