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Rise of seven in positive coronavirus tests in NHS Highland as processing delay impacts daily coronavirus update


By Gregor White

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A processing delay as a result of a testing capacity issue with the UK government Lighthouse facility in Glasgow has impacted on today's coronavirus statistics.

Seven further cases were reported for the NHS Highland area in the past 24 hours, bringing the total for the region since the start of the pandemic to 874.

However the increase in positive cases across Scotland as a whole is 316 for the past 24 hours, compared to a rise of 1167 the previous day.

The Scottish total for positive coronavirus tests now stands at 46,715.

A statement on the Scottish Government website reads: "We were notified late last week of a testing capacity issue with the UK government Lighthouse facility in Glasgow.

"This has meant around 64,000 tests from across the UK, including Scotland, will be rerouted this weekend (Fri-Sun) to other testing sites in the UK and Northern Ireland, including tests from our physical testing sites, for example Regional Tests sites.

"It is important to note that the majority of these tests are still well within the 24 and 48 hour timeframe for results albeit we do expect to see an increase in the level of positives on Monday and Tuesday when the results are reported."

It added: "The Scottish Government is urgently trying to establish with the UK government what exactly is causing the delay in testing but this is mainly due to demand from outwith Scotland.

"We continue to reroute routine testing of care home staff through NHS Scotland testing facilities to ensure prompt turnaround times."

The national total of positive coronavirus deaths now stands at 46,399.

There have been no new reported deaths of people who had tested positive, although as always this comes with the qualification that Register Offices are now generally closed at weekends.

Elsewhere in the north, NHS Grampian had eight new recorded cases in the past day, taking its tally to 2935.


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