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No new coronavirus deaths in Scotland and Northern Ireland for first time since strict lockdown began

No new coronavirus deaths have been reported in Scotland and Northern Ireland for the first time since lockdown began, figures show.

A total of 2,415 patients have died in Scotland after testing positive for Covid-19, figures published on Sunday show.

This is no change on Saturday’s figure and the first time the death total has remained the same since March 20.

The Scottish Government figures also show that 15,621 people have tested positive for Covid-19, an increase of 18 on Saturday June 6.

Note of caution

Scotland’s Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said she would offer a “note of caution” about reading too much into Sunday’s figures, as fewer deaths tend to be reported at the weekend.

Of those who tested positive, 646 were in hospital on Saturday evening, 16 of whom were in intensive care, while nine others were in intensive care with suspected Covid-19.

The latest coronavirus statistics also reveal that on June 6 there were 2,908 tests carried out by NHS Scotland in hospitals, care homes or the community, down from 3,552 the day before.

A further 1,036 drive-through and mobile tests were carried out, down from 1,349 the day before.

There were 406 (38 per cent) adult care homes with a current case of suspected Covid-19.

Since the start of the pandemic, 677 (63 per cent) adult care homes have now reported cases of coronavirus to the Care Inspectorate, with a total of 6,243 suspected cases on June 6, an increase of eight on the previous day.

Stay at home

Scotland joined Northern Ireland and Wales in rejecting Boris Johnson’s “stay alert” advice in favour of the “stay at home” message last month.

Opposition politicians criticised the message as being ambiguous and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the first she had heard of “the PM’s new slogan” was in newspaper reports.

“It is of course for him to decide what’s most appropriate for England, but given the critical point we are at in tackling the virus, #StayHomeSaveLives remains my clear message to Scotland at this stage,” she tweeted.

Related: Hancock disagrees with expert who says coronavirus lockdown came too late

Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

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