'Concern' over rate of Covid-19 cases in Dundee
- Published
Signs being installed at the walk-through Covid testing centre in Dundee
Scotland's national clinical director has expressed concern over the current incidence rate of Covid-19 in Dundee.
Prof Jason Leitch said the main concentration of the 60 new cases being dealt with by NHS Tayside were in the city.
The health board has said that the rate in Dundee is higher than some central belt areas currently under enhanced restrictions.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the city was being looked at "closely".
NHS Tayside has suspended regular visiting for patients, external in wards in Ninewells Hospital, Perth Royal Infirmary and the surgical wards in Brechin's Stracathro Hospital.
Prof Leitch said: "Dundee city does concern us.
"The NHS Tayside health board has 60 cases today, it's been around that level for a few days now, but they are concentrated in Dundee city and that's what you'd expect in an urban centre.
"We know that is, in the main, a higher risk when there aren't specific outbreaks in the rural areas."
Speaking at the Scottish government's daily briefing, Ms Sturgeon said no decision had been taken on whether to implement further restrictions in the area.
She added that Lanarkshire was another area of concern, but the latest advice suggested there "may be a bit of optimism" that the situation there is "starting to stabilise."
Ms Sturgeon said: "Dundee is an area we are looking closely at.
"And as we allocate parts of the country to levels, it's quite likely that significant parts of the central belt for example might stay in broadly the level they are in just now for a further period.
"But Dundee would be one of the areas where there is a question at the moment about whether it needs to go up a level."
