NHS Grampian has recorded the lowest increase in new coronavirus cases since Aberdeen was sent into Scotland’s first localised lockdown.
The health board registered 14 new positive cases confirmed by laboratory testing overnight on Sunday, the lowest increase in the region since August 4.
Aberdeen’s bars, cafes and restaurants were ordered to close on August 5, with residents being banned from having visitors to their homes and travel restrictions being reimposed on leisure activities.
The Scottish Government has confirmed 43 new cases were recorded overall in Scotland in the 24 hours leading up to Sunday, meaning a total of 19,332 people have now tested positive for the virus since the start of the pandemic.
A total of 11 new cases were discovered in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, eight people tested positive in Tayside, five new cases were identified by NHS Lothian, three were in Lanarkshire, and one new case was reported in both Orkney and Ayrshire and Arran.
Officials in Aberdeen confirmed on Saturday that 25 new cases had been recorded in the previous 24 hours but it was not known how many had been associated with the city’s local outbreak.
A spokesperson for NHS Grampian said a new policy introduced this week could result in a temporary increase in the number of cases reported each day but the advice to the wider public, to only get tested if they develop symptoms, remains unchanged.
The spokesperson said: “Our testing policy has changed and anyone contacted by Test and Protect to tell them that they are a contact of someone known to have Covid-19 will now be offered an immediate test, whether they themselves have symptoms or not.
“It is possible that some contacts may have the infection without symptoms. Testing will help to identify people in this situation. Their contacts can then be identified and advised to self-isolate earlier as a result.”
Nicola Sturgeon confirmed on Thursday that new clusters had emerged in Glasgow and Orkney, and experts were probing whether the virus may have spread from the Granite City to the island.
Public health officials also indicated the R number – the average number of people infected by each person – could have risen as high as 1.3.
Scotland has now gone more than a month without the death of a person who has tested positive for the disease, meaning the total number of fatalities remains at 2,491. The last confirmed death of an infected person in the country was recorded on July 15.
The latest Scottish Government figures show 243 people were in hospital on Saturday night, three of whom were in intensive care.