East Renfrewshire has overtaken Glasgow as Scotland’s Covid hotspot, according to the latest figures.
The rate of cases in East Renfrewshire has risen to 118.3 per 100,000 in the seven days to May 17, though the area remains in Level 2 of the Scottish Government’s coronavirus restriction levels.
This has pushed it ahead of Glasgow, which remains in Level 3, and saw case rates rise to 112.1 per 100,000 people in the seven days to May 17.
Dr Christine Tait-Burkard, a research fellow in the department of infection and immunity at the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute, said that putting East Renfrewshire back into Level 3 would “certainly slow down the outbreak quicker”.
READ MORE: More than 400 new cases recorded for the first time since early April
Asked whether the area should move up a level, she told BBC Good Morning Scotland: “It’s a very difficult decision at the moment and, we can probably compare this to Bolton down in England, where cases are now at 300 per 100,000, so they are about three times without measures in place.
“So, clearly, it means the outbreak in Glasgow is slowing down faster in that Level 3, and surge testing does work in slowing down that really big moving lorry a bit quicker, and that’s pretty much what we have to think about.”
Dr Tait-Burkard added: “It’s possible it’s going to go into Level 3, East Renfrewshire, it’s also very likely Moray is actually going down to Level 2 on the other hand, so that tells us surge testing does work and we can get these outbreaks under control easier than we were able to last year.”
The Indian variant has been detected in cases in Glasgow, causing increased concern among public health advisers and the Scottish Government.
Figures published on Thursday showed Scotland’s daily test positivity rate was 1.6%, no change on the previous day.
READ MORE: Covid push to clear Scotland's hospital wards led to 'unlawful' transfers to care homes
People aged 18 to 39 who live in postcodes G41, G42, G5, G51 or G52 in the southside of Glasgow are being offered coronavirus jabs early as public health authorities tackle a spike in cases in those areas.
Covid-19 vaccinations are also being offered to those aged 18-39 in Moray as NHS Grampian combats an outbreak of the virus in the area.
Glasgow and Moray remain in Level 3 restrictions despite the rest of mainland Scotland moving to Level 2 on Monday.
Case rates in Moray fell to 36.5 per 100,000 people in the seven days to May 17.
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