Covid in Scotland: 'No single reason' for Dumfries and Galloway spike

NHS Dumfries and Galloway has urged people to come forward to get vaccinated

There is "no single reason" for the recent spike in coronavirus cases in Dumfries and Galloway, chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith has said.

The region has one of the highest rates of cases in Scotland after a "very steep" jump reported last week.

The situation was raised at the latest Scottish government coronavirus briefing.

Dr Smith said they had been tracking the situation as it was one of the first areas to see a significant rise.

NHS Dumfries and Galloway reported a 65% rise in cases last week with prevalence rates now standing at more than 600 per 100,000 people - only West Dunbartonshire has a higher rate.

It urged the public to "do everything" to help fight the virus and come forward to get vaccinated if they had not already done so.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Dr Smith were asked about the recent increase in cases at the briefing on Tuesday.

Ms Sturgeon said cases were rising sharply in Dumfries and Galloway, though most parts of the country were also seeing steep rises.

The surge has already had an impact in some hospitals, she said.

Dr Smith said: "Dumfries and Galloway is an area that we've been tracking for a week or so because it's one of the first areas in Scotland that we started to see this rise in cases becoming apparent."

He said there was "no one single reason or driver" for the increase in the area.

"We're seeing a kind of diffuse rate of increase across the communities there," he said.

Dr Smith asked people to keep in-person meetings to a minimum to help to prevent the virus spreading further.

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