The city of Aberdeen has gone into lockdown, Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, announced after a new cluster of Covid-19 cases emerged in the community.
The cluster, thought to be linked to people who had visited a bar in the city centre on July 26, became apparent on Sunday when 54 new cases were confirmed. Officials fear the new Aberdeen cases could cause a surge of community transmission of the virus.
People living in the city of about 230,000 face strict travel restrictions and those outside Aberdeen have been told not to visit. People in the city are also unable to go to other peoples’ houses.
Residents are not allowed to travel more than five miles for leisure purposes and are advised to travel only for work, education, grocery shopping and health care.
Pubs and restaurants will close from 5pm on Wednesday.
Although visitors don’t have to leave Aberdeen, they need to take “extra care” when they return home.
The measures will be reviewed in a week’s time and may be extended.
Aberdeen is the first part of Scotland to return to lockdown after England reimposed tight restrictions on areas in the north of that country.
With a population about one tenth that of England, Scotland has seen a proportionally lower number of Covid-19 cases compared with its southern neighbour. Scotland has recorded nearly 19,000 cases alongside England’s 264,000 – nearly 36,000 of which are in London alone.
Scotland has recorded about 4,100 deaths, while England has recorded close to 41,000.
Nationwide social restrictions in Scotland began easing in June.
"There's always a sense of, 'We're doing well and it won't happen here'," Ms Sturgeon said.
"It can happen here and it is happening here, in Aberdeen."
She added that the decision to place the city in lockdown had not been taken lightly.
“The fact that the outbreak is no longer simply associated with one location, combined with the accelerating increase in cases means we cannot rule out community transmission now being the case in Aberdeen.”
