No new positive tests for coronavirus in NHS Highland area for second day in a row; but NHS Orkney's run of almost two months without new Covid-19 cases is over after three were identified

TWO days have now passed since NHS Highland recorded any new cases of Covid-19 in the health board's area.

The cumulative number of positive tests reported in the area remained unchanged at 388 when the latest daily update was released at 2pm on Thursday.

Across Scotland 47 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in the past 24 hours.

The number of people requiring hospital treatment for the virus fell slightly, down to 258, while those needing intensive care treatment remained unchanged on three.

Scotland's run of days without any deaths among those with confirmed Covid-19 also continued for another day.

Elsewhere in the north of Scotland, Orkney's long run of days without any freshly-confirmed cases is over after three positive tests were recorded in the past 24 hours. Those tests have taken the number of cases since the start of the outbreak up to 12. Orkney last recorded a positive test almost two months ago on June 15.

The other island health boards – NHS Shetland and NHS Eileanan Siar – had better news, recording no new cases.

But NHS Grampian's recent surge in cases continued on Thursday, with a further 26 of Scotland's 47 new cases all being reported in that health board area.

Grampian has now reported more than 300 new positive tests since the start of August, with many of those cases being linked to Aberdeen's recent outbreak.

NHS Tayside, meanwhile, recorded just two new cases in the past 24 hours, to take its cumulative tally to 1817.

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