Covid in Scotland: 60 schools in NHS Highland area affected

NHS Highland has warned of a "large number of outbreaks" of Covid-19 in schools in its area.

The health board, which covers the Highlands and Argyll and Bute, said about 60 schools had been affected so far.

There have been more than 1,000 new cases in the local population in the past week.

NHS Highland said this represented almost 10% of its total cases since the start of the pandemic.

The health board said the increase in cases was expected to continue.

A total of 5,021 new cases of the virus were reported on Wednesday - 286 in the NHS Highland area - a record high for the second day running.

That was up from 4,323 in the previous 24 hours - although the rate of positive results being returned was down from 14.5% to 11%.

The rate of infections has led First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to warn that the country was at another "fragile and pivotal moment" in the pandemic.

Ms Sturgeon said on Tuesday that she could not rule out the possibility of some Covid restrictions being reintroduced - although the levels of serious illness remain relatively low at this stage.

Dr Jenny Wares, a consultant in public health medicine at NHS Highland, said: "Whilst Covid-19 is circulating at such high levels, we would advise you try to minimise your contact with others as much as possible to limit further spread within our communities.

"It is so important that we remain vigilant for symptoms. The typical symptoms are a new continuous cough, a high temperature or fever and a loss of, or change in, normal taste or smell."

Dr Wares said some people were experiencing a wide range of other symptoms including headache, sore muscles and joints, tiredness, sore throat, cold-like symptoms, diarrhoea and vomiting.

She urged people to get tested if they suspected they had the virus.

Scotland's record number of Covid cases is partly being fuelled by the return of schools after the summer holidays, the deputy first minister has said.

John Swinney said the data showed that high numbers of young people had tested positive in recent days.

And he said the case for secondary pupils continuing to wear facemasks in school was growing "ever stronger".