Three in hospital with Covid

Three patients are now in the Gilbert Bain Hospital due to Covid-19.

All three are in a stable condition, director of nursing and acute services Kathleen Carolan said today (Monday 4th January).

NHS Shetland has confirmed a further two cases of coronavirus related to the current cluster since the last update on Saturday 2nd January.

That takes the total number of confirmed cases for the outbreak to 74.

Public health consultant Susan Laidlaw said that the infection rate had now “slowed”.

NHS Shetland said that a third person, unrelated to the current outbreak which started in the North Mainland, had also tested positive after travelling recently.

Their contacts are being traced, the health board said.

Dr Laidlaw said that more cases could probably be expected, but expressed relief the current outbreak had not made its way into Shetland’s care homes.

“This has been an extremely difficult time with the virus spreading rapidly for several days.

“However, with the Shetland community responding to public health advice and, with many people going above and beyond level 3 restrictions, this appears to have slowed the spread of this outbreak.”

On Monday afternoon First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that Shetland would remain in level three despite the rise in cases.

However from midnight everyone in Scotland will be asked to leave home for essential reasons only, such as essential shopping or outdoor exercise.