Covid in Scotland: NHS Highland warns of pressure on staffing

A health board has warned of growing pressures on services because of the number of staff self-isolating.

NHS Highland said the past five days had seen increasing numbers of staff being contacted through Test and Protect after a rise in local cases.

It also said its primary care, community health, mental health and acute services were experiencing "unprecedented levels of demand".

The health board added that all its services had "very limited capacity".

It also warned that waiting times were longer than normal.

NHS Highland's area includes Highland and Argyll and Bute.

Public Health Scotland said there had been 724 positive cases in the past week in the health board area.

This included 84 reported on Monday and another 144 on Tuesday.

Argyll and Bute has had a seven-day positivity rate of 6.3% and Highland 5.9%.

NHS Highland said: "All steps are being taken to manage patients as safely as possible within the Highland system.

"Patients presenting at emergency departments are being given information on NHS 24 as well as suitable alternatives for care."

The health board has asked people who might normally go to A&E with a non-life threatening condition to contact NHS 24 on the telephone number 111.

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Covid infection numbers have hit a series of record highs across Scotland over the past week, with more than 3,200 cases reported on Monday - the highest since the pandemic began.

Scottish government scientists said infections could hit 100,000 per week by mid-July in a "worst-case scenario".

But Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said there were no plans for additional restrictions to be imposed, with the vaccine programme weakening the link between cases and serious illness.

He also insisted the government would "never allow" the number of weekly cases to hit 100,000.