Highland Council area sets new seven day record for Covid-19 infection rate; local authority area's infections increased to 212.9 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
THE Covid infection rate across Highland Council has broken records again – after it rose to 212.9 cases per 100,000 people.
The jump took the local authority area to its highest confirmed rate of infection of the pandemic – and up from the previous record of 188.7 cases per 100,000 people which was set just yesterday.
The increase came after Public Health Scotland published the latest data for its rolling seven-day Covid map.
It revealed that 502 positive tests were recorded across the Highland Council area in the seven days leading up to January 3 – an increase from the slightly revised figure of 445 cases which were recorded in the seven days up to January 2. Yesterday that latter number had stood at 439, but appears to have been revised when today’s data was also published.
Meanwhile, the increase in today’s most recent seven-day figure was mirrored by the number of cases reported in and around Inverness.
There were nearly 280 positive tests in the city and neighbouring ‘wards’ in the same seven day period up to January 3. This was up from almost 240 when yesterday’s seven-day Covid update was published..
Once again Westhill was the worst affected part of the city, with 24 cases over seven days (down two from yesterday’s update, which ran up to January 2), with Inshes second on 21 (unchanged) and Smithton on 18 (up four). Central, Raigmore and Longman also posted 18 cases, with Lochardil and Hilton on 16 infections each.
The large Inverness West Rural ward – which extends from the western outskirts of the city and out past Beauly to Glen Affric - saw its seven-day caseload increase again. It stood at 76 positive tests in the period up to January 3.
The increase around Inverness was also reflected in Ross and Cromarty, which saw its seven day caseload rise from 140 to 161.
Its worst affected hot spot continues to be Alness, which had 46 positive tests in the seven days to January 3. Nearby Invergordon was second worst affected with 27 cases, while the county town of Dingwall reported 18 infections over seven days.
Related news: 83 new Covid-19 cases across NHS Highland area
Related news: Almost 240 coronavirus infections across Inverness area
