NHS Orkney chief ‘profoundly concerned’ as new COVID cases discovered

The chief executive of NHS Orkney has said that he is “profoundly concerned” that coronavirus is spreading rapidly across the county, as a growing number of people in the community are understood to be infected with the virus. 

In a statement, this evening, Wednesday, Michael Dickson said: “NHS Orkney is responding to a significant Covid public health issue and we are profoundly concerned that the virus is spreading rapidly across our community. 

“We believe there is a real risk to the people of Orkney, including those on the remote isles, and urge them to take care. 

“Several individuals have developed Covid symptoms and then travelled to their homes across the isles and to mainland Scotland. 

“I am asking that anyone in Orkney who shows symptoms of Covid to immediately self-isolate for at least 10 days and seek a test.   

“NHS Orkney is taking this matter extremely seriously and working with partners, which include several NHS mainland boards, port authorities, ferry operators, environmental health and the Orkney Island Council.  

“Our Public Health tracing team will be working to find as many contacts of these positive cases as possible. If you are contacted, we ask that you self-isolate for 14 days to ensure you do not pass the virus on, should you develop symptoms you must come forward for a test. 

“While Orkney’s Covid figures did not change today we are aware of a significant number of symptomatic cases all of whom have been tested. Some of these figures will be attributed to mainland board figures, this happens when a patient’s home address is registered off-island. 

“We will keep the public informed as to the number of positive cases confirmed on island regardless of their home address.”