Highlands sees '1000% Covid surge' in six weeks, leading Lib Dem MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, Jamie Stone, to urge tourists to "act with caution"
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MP Jamie Stone has urged tourists to "act with caution" after new analysis revealed the Highlands have seen a 1000 per cent increase in Covid cases in the past six weeks.
Analysis by The Herald reveals that the month of June recorded a fifth of NHS Highland’s total number of cases since the start of the pandemic.
From June 10 - June 22 the following Covid cases have been recorded:
Inverness saw a 300 per cent increase;
Wick saw a 225 per cent increase;
Thurso saw a 150 per cent increase.
Responding to the figures, Jamie Stone MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross said: “Covid is still very much a threat, and these figures truly concern me.
"We are not out of the tunnel yet, in fact it seems like we went backwards and are riding in the deep dark.
“While I am enthusiastic to see so many people choosing to spend their holidays in our gorgeous Highlands, I do worry about the potential covid transmissions from more densely populated areas to our Highlands.
"I strongly urge everyone who made the brilliant decision of visiting the Highlands to act with caution, such as wearing a mask, washing their hands often and respecting the mandatory distance.
“We have already seen our local hospitals having to trigger a code black due to lack of staff, and with these numbers, we cannot rule out the possibility of this happening again.
"The government must ensure that everyone received their blue letter and had or will have access to both jags, and that tourists will be able to enjoy the Highlands to its fullest."
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