Scottish Labour have raised concerns after research by the ONS showed Covid-19 rates continuing to rise in Scotland during July.

The most recent report, covering the week ending July 17, showed a continued increase in the proportion of people testing positive for Covid-19. The survey notes that the rate had increased in the most recent two weeks, albeit the trend was “uncertain” in the most recent week.

It estimates that in the week ending July 17, 1 in every 80 people in the country had Covid-19, increasing for the fifth week in a row. This compares to a rate of 1 in 210 in Wales.

The ONS surveys also showed a stark longer-term increase, with rates now almost 25 times higher than in mid-May.

Scottish Labour’s Health and Covid Recovery spokesperson Jackie Baillie said: “We have all been relieved to see case numbers declining recently, but these alarming figures suggest a more complicated picture.
“If the ONS findings are accurate, they suggest that the true rate of Covid may not be falling as quickly as we would hope.

“The SNP need to explain why there is such a stark difference between the case numbers and the ONS’ findings.

“The public need answers on this, in order to have confidence in all the data and to understand the real state of the pandemic in Scotland.”