Zero coronavirus deaths in Scotland for two consecutive days have been reported, confirms Nicola Sturgeon.
The First Minister find this data to be highly encouraging. She says she has hoped long for such a report to the surface during this time much as the public had done also.
The virus is likely to cause further deaths and might be reported in the following days, she says. On weekends such cases may not be reported enough.
This comes as new coronavirus cases emerged in a total of 18 patients during the last 24 hours, this made the pandemic’s total up to 15,639 since it began.
Scotland has confirmed to have 40 people admitted across hospitals with either confirmed symptoms or suspected symptoms of coronavirus. This adds the total up to 1042.
Since the pandemic began, the 3800 people who ended up in hospitals with coronavirus have been discharged and let go.
In the last six days, the reported number of confirmed coronavirus cases has been below 50. Half of the Scottish health board areas have also reported no new cases.
In Scotland, the coronavirus cases confirmed in labs had a death toll of 2415 but after counting resumed it led up to a total of 3964.
Ms. Freeman talking at the coronavirus briefing by the government said zero coronavirus deaths in Scotland have been reported in the last 24 hours is one important reassuring news. She emphasized people should still not look up the figures too much and observe restrictions under lockdown.
Scotland has made progress even if the progress stands on thin ice, she adds.
She says like many including the First minister, she longs to be able to give out safe reassuring numbers to the public regarding coronavirus cases and death tolls. While we must wait for such numbers to happen, sticking with lockdown restrictive measures is not only important but will be life-saving for the nation, she added.
The numbers being put up are not mere statistics, Ms. Freeman emphasized.
Each loss among the 2415 people that died of coronavirus is a source of sorrow and grief to many people, she empathized as she sent her condolences to the families that grieved.
Some infections are picked up by patients at hospitals themselves, The SNP MSP Emma Harper inquired Ms. Freeman to highlight what steps are being taken to understand the impact of such infections.
Across most of the UK, the nature of such infections is split into two categories: A probable hospital-infected case is thought of as such when the patient in question tests positive for coronavirus after being in the hospital for less than 14 days and more than seven. A definite undebatable case is when the patient in question has been within hospital premises for more than 14 days.
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She added that to prevent further infections, preventative measures are being put in place. These measures include employing effective cleaning habits and PPE for hospital works and doctors.
Healthcare workers with no symptoms would be tested routinely. Ms. Freeman says she thinks it is a correct precautionary measure to test healthcare workers including several other important steps.
Families need answers as to whether some hospitals have contributed to the spread of coronavirus to their loved ones. Jeane Freeman responded to such concerns and said once supported information makes way to her about how the virus was spread, extra precautions to disinfect and protect hospitals will be put in place.
She says however that it is a challenge to distinguish whether such infections were caught in hospitals or communities before the admission.
If Zero coronavirus deaths in Scotland are to be the future of the virus in the country, Ms. Freeman believes validated data should found any public claims made by the government.
