Covid cases fall in city as lockdown decisions due

Nicola Sturgeon is due to make an announcement on lockdown levels this afternoon in the Scottish Parliament.

The First Minister is to reveal whether mainland Scotland, except Glasgow, will move down to Level 1 next week.

A decision on whether Glasgow is to move from Level 3 to Level 2 is expected either today or at a separate announcement tomorrow at the latest.

The city, while the only local authority area to be held in level 3 does not have the highest rate of cases, with two neighbouring areas recording higher totals.

It is expected that the rest of the country will move to Level 1 next Monday, on June 7, and Glasgow to Level 2 on Saturday.

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The latest seven day figures show that the number of positive cases in Glasgow is beginning to drop.

And the rate per 100,000 of population, which is a key factor in the decision, has fallen to below 130.

Glasgow, however, is still more than twice the Scottish rate.

Last week Nicola Sturgeon said that the numbers in the city were “uncomfortably high” as she delayed moving down a level by another week.

The latest figures from Public Health Scotland show that the number of positive cases over a seven day period is falling.

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The latest data shows there were 113 new cases in Glasgow

During the latest period, from May 21 to May 28, there were 815 new positive cases recorded. It is a rate of 128 per 100,000 population.

Glasgow’s rate, while falling slightly, remains significantly higher than Scotland as a whole, which was 61.2 per 100,000.

The areas in the city with the highest rate are still all in the south. Seven areas have a rate higher than 400 per 100,000. They are Darnley North, Ibrox East and Cessnock, Pollokshields West, Laurieston and Tradeston, Battlefield, Mount Florida and Kinning Park and Festival Park.

The data shows Glasgow is not the highest local authority area for cases per 100,000.

For the seven day period Renfrewshire, which includes Paisley, is at 155 per 100,000 and East Renfrewshire is second highest at 149.7.

Dundee City is also above 100, with a rate of 100.5 per 100,000.

Moray which last month was held in Level 3 with Glasgow for one week is now down to one of the lowest rates in Scotland at 13.6.

Humza Yousaf, Health Secretary, said it was possible that not every area would move to level one on June 7.

Glasgow is expected to remain one step behind, possibly for a few more weeks

He said: “There are other parts of the country that clearly, from the data, give us continued cause for concern so there will be other parts of the country that may not move from Level 2 to Level 1.

“It is early for me to say so but that is certainly the situation as we are looking at it.”

Meanwhile the Conservatives said that the whole of Scotland should move to Level 1.

Douglas Ross, Scottish Tory leader, said: “The success of Scotland and the UK’s vaccine scheme means we can now be far more positive about easing restrictions.

“Everyone understands that there will be a need for local, targeted measures when an outbreak occurs.

“But leaving behind whole areas should be ruled out. Sweeping measures that unnecessarily hurt a whole city or council area are unfair on businesses and local people waiting to get on with their lives.

“For the sake of jobs, businesses and people’s mental health, the country has to move forward together as much as possible.”