NHS Highland will test software to be used by Covid-19 contact tracers
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Scotland's health secretary Jeane Freeman has said NHS Highland will be one of those leading the way in efforts to control the spread of Covid-19.
Along with NHS Fife and NHS Lanarkshire, the Highland health board will begin testing new technology from tomorrow.
At today's Holyrood coronavirus briefing, Ms Freeman said the technology will increase the speed at which contacts of those confirmed as having contracted Covid-19 can be traced.
It will also allow contact tracing on a much greater scale than at present.
The aim is for the software to be rolled out across Scotland by the end of the month. It will then be "refined and improved" during June.
After a 10th death was confirmed at the Home Farm care home on Skye, the health secretary also revealed new guidance for the sector.
She said the measures, also due to take effect from tomorrow, will provide "enhanced professional and clinical care oversight".
Measures set to be introduced to the Coronavirus Bill will also allow the government to directly take over failing care homes.
Those measures will be considered by the Scottish Parliament next week.
As the latest coronavirus statistics showed just nine more deaths from Covid-19 across Scotland as a whole over the past 24 hours, Ms Freeman urged caution.
She pointed out that the weekend usually sees fewer deaths reported than during the week.
