Covid in Scotland: Hospital visiting curbs for NHS Tayside

Health officials hope a continued drive on vaccination and testing will curb the Dundee outbreak

Hospital visiting has been restricted by NHS Tayside after a rapid rise in Covid cases across the region.

The health board has reintroduced tougher rules for its sites, meaning patients can only receive one visitor.

Dundee City currently has the highest Covid case rate in Scotland, of nearly 279 cases per 100,000 people, and more than 1,000 pupils are self-isolating.

The health board area also includes Kirriemuir in Angus where there has been a local outbreak.

Despite having a population of about 6,000, the town has seen nearly 50 cases in the past week.

Parts of Perthshire have also seen a sharp in increase in infections.

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Across Scotland as a whole 1,030 new cases were reported on Saturday, and two deaths of people with a recent positive test.

NHS Tayside said hospital visitors should contact the ward to arrange an appointment time and discuss the visiting process.

No visits will be permitted if a visitor is unwell, has any Covid symptoms or is quarantining for any reason.

Visitors will have to wear fluid-resistant masks at all times, and movement around hospitals will be limited.

NHS Tayside's Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Claire Pearce, said: "Due to rising cases of Covid-19 in Tayside it is vital that we keep our patients, staff and the public safe.

"I would ask all visitors to carefully follow the guidance and infection control measures that are in place.

"We understand that these changes to visiting may be upsetting, but we have made this decision in the best interests of our patients."

Covid infections have risen rapidly in Dundee since mid-May when the city had a very low case rate of about 15 cases per 100,000 people.

Dundee City Council leader John Alexander has urged people to come forward for testing to try to curb the outbreak, warning that any return to a higher level of restrictions would be a disaster for the local economy.

There will be additional testing sessions in Menzieshill and Douglas areas of the city next week, as well as continued drop-ins at Dundee International Sports Centre (Disc) and in the city centre.

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