Coronavirus cases linked to Dundee University students have reached 165 but it is hoped this will “continue to tail off”.
Cases linked to student parties have soared in the last fortnight and the university’s principal expressed fears it could derail the city’s route out of lockdown.
The outbreak began after gatherings at Magdalen Green and private student properties last month.
Now, an Incident Management Team (IMT) set up to monitor the outbreak has stood down.
Support available
An NHS Tayside spokeswoman said the team was stood down on Wednesday amid hopes self-isolation will allow positive cases to tail off.
“There are 165 positive cases of Covid-19 associated with students in Dundee,” she said.
“The situation has stabilised and we expect the number of positive cases to continue to tail off as we go forward.
“Students have been given appropriate advice and contact tracing is continuing with close contacts self-isolating in accordance with national guidance.
“Support is available from local agencies and from the universities for any students who are experiencing hardship due to having to self-isolate as a case or a contact.
“It is extremely important that anyone identified as a close contact of a positive case should book a PCR test as soon as possible.
“For students who test positive and are contacted by the Test and Protect Team, it is essential that they provide information about all their recent contacts as it is this information which will help our contact tracing efforts to track and limit the spread of the virus.
“The public should be assured there is no evidence of increasing cases amongst the wider community. The IMT is not planning to meet again and NHS Tayside’s public health team will keep the situation under close review.”
‘Incredibly irresponsible’
Professor Iain Gillespie, who is the university’s principal and vice-chancellor, said last week the parties were “incredibly irresponsible”.
In a video message sent to all students, he said: “This behaviour and this outbreak has caused real concern, real anger, and real frustration amongst the vast majority of our students and staff who have been incredibly responsible throughout the whole of this pandemic and I thank you for that.
“It’s also caused incredible anger amongst our broader community in Dundee.
“I think this is completely justifiable given that this spike of over 100 new infections starts to put at risk our ability as a city to come out of lockdown.”
An estimated 200 students were seen celebrating St Patrick’s Day at popular West End park Magdalen Green on March 17.
And on March 14, a large party took place at a private property on Springfield, just metres from the main campus off Perth Road.
Data released by police at the end of last year showed a property on Springfield was the largest private gathering to be dispersed in all of Tayside and Fife when 60 were caught.
Professor Gillespie stressed the outbreak had not spread to the wider campus, which would have seen a major decision to suspend all in-person activity at the university.
