Speaking at today’s briefing Professor Leitch confirmed that 11 positive cases have been identified in Dumfries and Galloway since Monday – an increase of one since yesterday.
He said this new case was not connected to the households in the initial cluster but instead involved an “independent connection” to the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle.
A total of 23 people who may have been in contact with an infected person have been contacted, offered testing and instructed to self-isolate.
In his update Professor Leitch said that testing of staff at PPE manufacturing plant Alpha Solway was complete, while testing at Youngs Seafoods in Annan was continuing.
He said: “There is no suggestion that these outbreaks either began in these institutions or have spread in these institutions – there is just a contact connection.”
The presence of a cluster of Covid-19 infections in the Annan and Gretna area was first confirmed on Wednesday, and officials say the first individual case they were made aware of was a health care worker employed at the Carlisle hospital.
Mobile testing units have been set up in Langholm and Gretna today with further testing taking place in Annan tomorrow.
The five-mile restriction for non-essential travel remains in place in the DG1, DG2, DG11, DG12, DG13, DG14 and DG16 postcode areas, and this restriction is due to be reviewed on Monday.
