Alness reports nearly 50 positive tests for Covid-19 as Ross and Cromarty's seven-day coronavirus total passes 160; Highland Council's seven-day infection rate also increased to 212.9 cases per 100,000 people
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THE number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Ross and Cromarty area has increased to more than 160 – with Alness its worst affected town.
The Easter Ross town reported 46 positive tests for Covid-19 in the seven days to January 3, Public Health Scotland data has revealed.
Nearby Invergordon was second worst affected with 27 cases, while the county town of Dingwall reported 18 infections over seven days.
Immediately outside Ross and Cromarty, the worst affected 'ward' on the Highland coronavirus map continues to be Inverness West Rural, which extends from the western outskirts of Inverness and out past Beauly to Glen Affric. Its seven-day caseload stood at 76 positive tests in the period up to January 3.
The rising number of infections in Ross and Cromarty has also been mirrored by Highland Council as a whole, which set another record for its infection rate when the figures were updated on Wednesday.
The region reported a seven-day rate of 212.9 cases per 100,000 people in the days leading up to January 3. This was up from the previous record of 188.7 cases per 100,000 people which was set just yesterday.
Public Health Scotland's Covid map also revealed that 502 positive tests were recorded across the Highland Council area in the seven days leading up to January 3 – a figure which was also up from the 445 cases reported in the seven days up to January 2.
The number of confirmed cases in and around the Highland capital is also rising, and stood at nearly 280 positive tests in the seven days to January 3, an increase from almost 240 when yesterday’s seven-day Covid update was published..
Once again Westhill was the worst affected part of the city, with 24 cases over seven days (down two from yesterday’s update, which ran up to January 2), with Inshes second on 21 (unchanged) and Smithton on 18 (up four). Central, Raigmore and Longman also posted 18 cases, with Lochardil and Hilton on 16 infections each.
Related news: 83 new Covid-19 cases across NHS Highland area
Related news: Ross and Cromarty are records at least 140 confirmed Covid cases in seven days up to January 2
