Coronavirus: Covid cluster linked to Aberdeen bar after 13 new cases

The Hawthorn

The bar said customers who had visited on 26 July had tested positive for coronavirus

A cluster of 13 cases of Covid-19 linked to a pub in Aberdeen is being investigated by public health officials.

NHS Grampian said the cases were associated with The Hawthorn Bar in Holburn Street in the city centre.

The pub said the outbreak was linked to customers who visited on 26 July.

The cluster comes as the latest figures showed 31 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Scotland in the past 24 hours.

That is higher than the 30 Covid-19 cases reported on Friday - which was the biggest daily increase for eight weeks.

Despite the rise in cases, there were no deaths reported in Scotland due to coronavirus for the 17th day in a row.

'I felt terrible'

All those who have tested positive in Aberdeen are showing only mild symptoms, though the health board said there may be further cases linked to the cluster.

One man, who is now being treated in hospital for coronavirus and who visited the bar last week, said he first began feeling ill on Wednesday.

The patient, who has asked not to be identified, told the BBC: "By Saturday morning I felt terrible. I had a severe fever and my eyes were really sore. I also had a pain in my side and doctors considered removing my appendix which they thought may have become infected from the virus."

He added: "It was very surreal being rushed to hospital and my mind did start to wonder in case things took a nasty turn.

"However, I do feel lucky that I only have mild symptoms and that I haven't had any breathing difficulties."

Health officials in Grampian said physical distancing measures were in place at the bar and contact tracing was being carried out to trace those linked with the cluster.

Scotland's national clinical director, Prof Jason Leitch said: "We've sent people to have a look, and everything was in place that we have written down that should be in place.

"Same with the pharmacy earlier on in the week in Port Glasgow - very well managed, no blame.

"But this virus just needs a moment to jump across a household. So it's an individual responsibility as well as a business responsibility to take that enormously seriously."

Continue trading

In a statement published on their Facebook page, management at The Adams & The Hawthorn said they had been given permission to continue trading and that appropriate safety measures were in place.

The statement said the venue had undergone deep cleaning as well as "decontamination by fogging".

Phil Adams, who owns the bar, said he was "absolutely devastated" by news of the cluster.

He added: "We've put a lot of measures in place and we've worked very hard to ensure all our staff and customers are safe.

"This is a very trying time, not just for me but for everyone involved with the business."

The tally of 31 new cases across Scotland on Sunday accounts for 1.1% of newly tested individuals, according to the Scottish government.

The figures also showed there were 265 people in hospital with Covid-19 as of Saturday evening, and three in intensive care.

In response to the latest figures, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "Another day y'day with no deaths of people who had tested positive for Covid.

"However, 31 new cases reported. All of these being carefully investigated and appropriate action taken. But we should take this as a further warning that Covid is still out there."

The daily figures showed that no new deaths were recorded among people who tested positive for the virus, meaning the tally under this specific measurement remains at 2,491.

However, the total number of coronavirus-linked deaths as calculated by the National Records of Scotland currently stands at 4,201.