Covid in Scotland: Dumfries and Galloway case drop offers 'tentative hope'
- Published
The health board said the number of new cases in the region had fallen
Health officials have said it is "too early to to take too much comfort" from a fall in new Covid case numbers in Dumfries and Galloway.
The region has gone from having one of the lowest levels in Scotland to one of the highest in a few weeks.
Its health board said there were 561 new cases in the week ending 10 January - down from 801 the week before.
A statement said that offered "some tentative hope" in what remained a "very serious situation".
Before Christmas the region was under level one restrictions but infection rates have risen sharply since then.
One outbreak at a Stranraer care home has claimed the lives of six residents.
NHS Dumfries and Galloway's chief executive Jeff Ace said despite a decline in new case numbers pressure was growing on services.
"It's really much too early to take too much comfort from this drop in numbers," he said.
"This is still a worryingly high number of new cases, and we're still in a very grave and precarious position.
"The pressure on our health and social care services is actually continuing to increase - as the hundreds of new cases gradually translate into significant numbers of people suffering the most serious effects of the coronavirus."
He said health and social care systems were being "sorely tested".
"Any decline in numbers whatsoever is extremely welcome, and we're grateful for all the efforts and sacrifices which continue to be made by everyone across Dumfries and Galloway in response to the situation," he said.
"However, we need to keep working to bring these numbers down."
Additional testing capacity has been introduced in the region - with the creation of a walk-through centre in Dumfries.
It opened in the Brooms Road car park on Tuesday and will be open seven days a week from Thursday with appointments available between 08:00 and 20:00.
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- Published12 January 2021
