Twenty one patients have died after coronavirus outbreaks in non-covid hospital wards in one of the country’s biggest health boards.
NHS Lanarkshire figures also show nearly 100 patients and staff were infected during the outbreaks.
An official board document states: “Staff clusters of cases are becoming an area of increased concern.”
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman last week confirmed 125 “incidents” on non-covid wards between March 18 and June 3.
However, the Government later said this figure included over 900 patients - 218 of whom had died - who had been admitted to hospital for non-covid conditions.
At Holyrood yesterday, she also said the “incidents” included 894 staff cases of confirmed and suspected covid-19.
Opposition MSPs accused Freeman of a lack of transparency and the Tories called for her to quit.
An NHS Lanarkshire board paper has provided a breakdown of infections in non-covid wards across the region’s hospitals.
After contacting the board yesterday, some of the figures were revised, but the numbers were broadly similar.
The document records 21 deaths in “non-covid pathways”, all of which were patients.
Sixty eight patient infections are listed in the document, but the board said the updated figure is 64.
And while 35 staff infections were flagged, the new number is 30. All told, it stands at 94 patients and staff.
The largest number of deaths, 8, occurred at the Kilsyth Victoria Cottage Hospital, according to the paper.
Five deaths took place at Hairmyres, two at Monklands, three at the Wester Moffat Hospital, one at Kello and two at Coathill.
Christina Coulombe, NHS Lanarkshire Head of Infection Prevention and Control, said:
“NHS Lanarkshire takes very seriously its obligation to protect staff and patients in these very difficult times. We are focussed on providing safe methods of working in line with national guidance.”
Labour MSP Monica Lennon said:
“An urgent independent inquiry into hospital coronavirus outbreaks must get underway.
“The Scottish Government can’t be allowed to mark its own work after months of keeping quiet and failing to deliver an effective system of test and protect in NHS wards and care homes.
“It’s extremely disappointing that Ministers have not been open and transparent with the public despite knowing about hospital outbreaks, like cases in Glasgow and Lanarkshire, as far back as March. We still don’t know how many patients caught up in these outbreaks were transferred to care homes and what impact that had.
“We now need to see PPE used throughout hospitals and for regular testing to be rolled out.
Tory MSP Miles Briggs said:
“It is deeply concerning that we have seen this level of cases of hospital acquired Covid-19 in NHS Lanarkshire.
“For weeks MSPs have been seeking answers from Jeane Freeman to establish the true picture and the impact of Coronavirus in hospitals across Scotland.
“SNP Ministers face growing questions over the numbers of hospital acquired Covid-19 and the potential impact that will have on being able to restart all NHS services.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has backed Freeman.
