Death toll up to 17

NHS Dumfries and Galloway released the weekly mortality figures earlier today, which revealed there had been seven more deaths from covid-19 in the last week. A statement alongside the statistics read: "As at 12 noon on April 8 2020, there have been 17 deaths in the region in which coronavirus was either the primary cause of death or a factor potentially contributing to death." A spokesman confirmed the figure includes deaths in the hospital and in the community.

Meanwhile, it has also emerged that there are currently 44 people in hospital locally with confirmed or suspected cases of the virus and six in intensive care.