THERE has been clear progress in the fight against coronavirus, Nicola Sturgeon has told MSPs, but she’s warned that the country needs to “continue to be careful and cautious”.
The First Minister said the R number in Scotland is currently “hovering around one”, down from 1.2-1.5 on October 22.
Speaking at First Minister’s Questions, she said: “With some other indicators, that does suggest that the tough measures that have been in place in recent weeks – and the compliance of the public with those measures – is starting to have an effect.”
Sturgeon said countries such as France and Spain have had a rise in cases followed by a flattening off, only for this to be followed by another rise in coronavirus infections.
“We have to be cautious of that here,” she said.
“It is not enough for us as we head into winter simply to see a levelling off or a slowing down in the rise of cases – that is what an R number slightly above 1 would deliver.”
She added: “What we want to see going into winter to protect the country, to protect the NHS and to save lives, is a reduction in the number of cases.”
There were 39 coronavirus deaths recorded yesterday and 1216 positive tests have been recorded in the past 24 hours.
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The daily test positivity rate is 7.6%, down from 7.9% on Wednesday.
Of the new cases, 481 are in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 236 in Lanarkshire, 128 in Lothian and 80 in Ayrshire and Arran. The rest are spread across the country.
There are 1252 people in hospital confirmed to have the virus, down five in 24 hours.
Of these patients, 95 are in intensive care, up one.
During the session, the SNP leader said that while there was not currently a shortage of hospital beds or staff but warned NHS Scotland faces a “very, very challenging winter”.
Scottish Tory Holyrood leader Ruth Davidson asked about comments made by Professor Jackie Taylor, the president of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, who warned
of “an impending winter storm” due to staff shortages and a lack of hospital beds.
Sturgeon said: “We are not short right now of beds or staff but we do face a very, very challenging winter.
“We are also working hard to ensure that the capacity of our National Health Service is managed in a way that can cope with whatever Covid-19 throws at us over the winter and also as far as possible continue to treat without cancellation of elective or planned operations”
She said the NHS Louisa Jordan temporary hospital in Glasgow is available as a contingency.
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