A NOTABLE rate of Covid cases in two Scottish towns has prompted calls for anyone with "even the mildest symptoms" to be tested.
New cases of the coronavirus have been decreasing across Dumfries and Galloway in recent weeks following a surge over new year fuelled by the highly transmissible variant B117.
However, health officials are concerned after the number of new cases in Annan and Dumfries has not fallen as quickly as in some other areas.
READ MORE: Covid death toll in Scotland edges towards 9,000
In a bid to manage the number of cases, increased testing has now been made available in both towns - and anyone who believes they may have symptoms is being urged to take up the opportunity to be tested.
Interim Director of Public Health Valerie White said: “Good progress has been made in bringing down numbers of new cases of Covid-19 across the region, and this is doubtlessly due to the efforts and sacrifices everyone has made in following the national rules.
“While numbers have come down in Annan and Dumfries, there is a concern that they are remaining higher than in other areas.
“A mobile testing unit is based at Annan Swimming Pool Car Park in Annan today, Friday and Sunday as part of regular visits, and a fixed-location testing site is operating daily at Brooms Road Car Park in Dumfries.”
Anyone experiencing symptoms of Covid is asked to immediately self-isolate and arrange a test if they develop any of the following symptoms, and to continue to isolate until they obtain a result:
· Raised temperature
· New continuous cough
· Change to or loss of sense of taste and/or smell.
Although people are being encouraged to arrange a test, it is vital that everyone recognises the important role they play as an individual to help stop the spread of Covid-19.
Speaking at the Scottish Government's daily coronavirus briefing, Nicola Sturgeon said that Scotland has recorded 50 deaths from coronavirus and 803 positive tests in the past 24 hours.
It brings the death toll under this measure – of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days – to 6,551.
The figures are lower than the 8,726 deaths given earlier by the National Records of Scotland as they do not include suspected and probable coronavirus infections.
READ MORE: 803 new Covid cases in 24 hours and 50 deaths
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, Ms Sturgeon said 188,345 people have now tested positive in Scotland, up from 187,542 the previous day.
The daily test positivity rate is 4.8%, down from 7.2% on the previous day.
There are 1,542 people in hospital confirmed to have the virus, down 76 in 24 hours, and 113 patients are in intensive care, an increase of one.
Ms Sturgeon said 985,569 people have received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, up 57,447 from yesterday.
What is the B117 variant?
This variant was first detected in Kent in September, and it has been suggested that its spread in December led to a rapid rise in Covid-19 cases before the second national lockdown was announced in England.
It is now thought to be the dominant variant in the UK.
Analysis of the variant, known as B117, suggests it is up to 70% more transmissible than the previous strain that was dominant in the UK.
Despite data suggesting the mutant variant may be more deadly, there is no evidence to indicate existing treatments, such as dexamethasone, will not be effective against it.
A study has suggested that people infected with the UK variant are less likely to report a loss of taste and smell.
The Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine has a similar efficacy against the variant, compared with the original strain of Covid-19 against which it was tested.
Studies also suggest the jab developed by Pfizer and BioNTech is effective against the UK variant of coronavirus.
The Moderna coronavirus vaccine, due to arrive in the UK in the spring, is effective against all emerging mutations of the virus that have been detected to date, according to the company.
However, researchers have detected strains of the UK virus which have developed a mutation, E484K, found in the South African and Brazilian variants.
Studies indicate this mutation may be able to better escape the body’s immune response, rendering vaccines less effective.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here