THE first coronavirus case in the Forth Valley has been confirmed, taking the total number of infected people in Scotland to six.
The patient is “currently well and receiving appropriate clinical care” coming as one of three new cases in Scotland this morning, with the others located in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and Grampian.
NHS Forth Valley have said in a statement:
“NHS Forth Valley’s health protection team have already identified all those who have been in close contact with the Forth Valley confirmed case (close contact involves either face-to-face contact or spending more than 15 minutes within two metres of an infected person). If you have not been contacted directly then you are not at any potential risk.”
The trust added that “All three new cases in Scotland are contacts of known cases.”
They assured that “NHS Forth Valley, along with all other Health Boards across Scotland, has well-rehearsed plans and procedures in place across to deal with coronavirus”
These cases add to one already in Grampian, one in Ayrshire, and the first Scottish case which was revealed to be in Tayside on Sunday.
Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, Dr Catherine Calderwood has said:
“With all these cases, our thoughts are with those diagnosed and their families. Scotland is well equipped to deal with this kind of infection and we are doing everything we can to contain the virus at this stage and minimise the risk to the public.
“Clinicians are now conducting contact tracing, the process of gathering details of the places those who have tested positive visited and the people they have been in contact with.
“Health protection teams will contact those who are at risk from the current cases – those who are not contacted are not at risk.”
She went on to remind the general public: “We can all play our part to limit the spread of the virus”.
Dr Calderood has urged people to follow NHS advice “by washing our hands frequently for 20 seconds as well as always carrying tissues and using them to catch coughs and sneezes, then putting the tissue in a bin, and don’t touch your face.”
More information can be found on the NHS Inform website about symptoms and how to self-isolate.
Anyone with symptoms who have come into contact with confirmed cases or have been to areas abroad affected by the virus should self-isolate and call NHS 111 for further guidance.
Journalism Studies undergraduate at the University of Stirling
