COMPLACENCY could take a major toll on Dumfries and Galloway, and see COVID-19 cases increase like they did at the end of last year.
That is the message being delivered after efforts and sacrifices by people in the region have succeeded in bringing down the number of new cases to stand at 21 across the week ending March 7.
Interim Director of Public Health Valerie White said: “It’s fantastic that the number of new cases has declined, but this is not the end of the story by any means.
“We saw at the end of last year how a handful of cases skyrocketed to see us with the highest rate of COVID-19 in the whole of Scotland within just a few short weeks.
“Everybody needs to continue to follow the national directions, and help keep themselves and others safe. This also applies if you’ve been vaccinated, and regardless of whether that’s just once or twice. Restrictions are starting to change gradually on a national basis, but we really need to maintain our guard.
“Let’s not risk all that’s been worked for by stretching the rules.”
The 21 new positive cases in the week ending March 7 was down from 51 the week before.
A total of 68 close contacts were advised to self-isolate, down from 88 the previous week, and there was a total of 2952 PCR COVID-19 tests compared to 3532.
The locally calculated positivity rate for Dumfries and Galloway was estimated at about 0.8 per cent, down from 1.7 per cent.
And as at 04/03/2021 the overall 7 day positivity rate was 17.5 per 100,000, whereas in the week ending 25/02/2021 it was 36.3 per cent.
Over the last two weeks, positive COVID-19 cases have been present across all four locality areas in Dumfries and Galloway – in Annandale and Eskdale, Nithsdale, Stewarty and Wigtownshire.
There is evidence that people identified as close contacts of cases are developing COVID-19, and workplace settings and car sharing are areas where transmission is being seen.
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