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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Sian Traynor

Covid Scotland: Edinburgh neighbourhood shown to be worst hotspot as cases rise

An Edinburgh neighbourhood has been confirmed to have the highest coronavirus numbers in the city, according to the latest data.

As cases continue to rise in the capital, a number of local areas have now seen their case rates surge into 400+ per 100,000 people, the highest rating from Public Health Scotland.

Although other areas such as Broomhouse and Bankhead, or Muirhouse, have also been put into the 400+ category, it is The Calders which is currently experiencing the highest number of cases.

Also in the top rating for infections, the neighbourhood in the west of the city has seen 31 cases over the last seven days worth of data.

With a population of 4,685 people, the small area geographically has seen the highest numbers in Edinburgh over the last week.

It comes as NHS Lothian recorded the most coronavirus cases overnight on Saturday (June 19), with 331 across Edinburgh and the surrounding areas.

This was the highest number of new transmissions across all of the health board areas in Scotland.

The country as a whole saw 1,209 new cases on Saturday, with two additional deaths also being reported.

Edinburgh and Midlothian are currently in level two restrictions, with a halt on a move to level one decided by the First Minister earlier this month.

However, a move down a level is now unlikely for some time, after Nicola Sturgeon paused plans for the country to ease rules further on June 28.

With the pause expected to last for three weeks following June 28, the FM stated on Tuesday:

"Given the current situation - and the need to get more people fully vaccinated before we ease up further - it is reasonable to indicate now that I think it unlikely that any part of the country will move down a level from 28 June.

"Instead, it is likely that we will opt to maintain restrictions for a further three weeks from 28 June and use that time to vaccinate - with both doses - as many more people as possible.

"Doing that will give us the best chance, later in July, of getting back on track and restoring the much greater normality that we all crave."

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