A patient in Scotland has died after testing positive for coronavirus – the country’s first fatality linked to the virus.
The patient, who was being treated by Lothian Health Board, had pre-existing health conditions.
Dr Catherine Calderwood, Scotland’s chief medical officer said: “I am saddened to report that a patient in Scotland who has tested positive for coronavirus has died in hospital. I offer my deepest sympathy to their friends and family at this difficult time.”
She said the patient was an older person who had had pre-existing health conditions.
“No further information will be available to protect patient confidentiality,” Dr Calderwood added.
The latest figures show 85 people have tested positive for the virus in Scotland, with three confirmed cases in Tayside.
Meanwhile, in a message to students and staff, St Andrews vice-chancellor Professor Sally Mapstone said the student at the university was recovering in self-isolation after being diagnosed with the virus.
The UK formally moved to the second “delay phase” of its strategy to tackle the virus on Friday, and anyone with even “mild” symptoms like a cough or a fever ordered to stay at home for seven days.
WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has said that Europe is now “the epicentre of the pandemic”.
The continent now has more reported cases of the virus, and deaths than the rest of the world combined apart from China, said Dr Tedros in a press conference on Friday.
More to follow.
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