London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Sep 06, 2025

Covid in Scotland: Barra outbreak 'serious and escalating'

Covid in Scotland: Barra outbreak 'serious and escalating'

Health officials have described a Covid outbreak on Barra in the Western Isles as "serious, and escalating" after 17 further cases were identified.

There are now more than 110 people in isolation after 27 positive cases, with islanders being urged to stay at home.

The number in isolation represents about a 10th of the island's total population.

Two people have already been taken off the island for further treatment after testing positive.

All close contacts of those who have tested positive are being offered tests to try and limit the spread of the virus on the island, which has limited medical resources.

NHS Western Isles chief executive Gordon Jamieson urged everyone on the island to limit contact with others.

In a video posted on Twitter on Friday evening, he said: "A number of tests are still going through the system and further tests will be taken from members of the population tomorrow [Saturday].

"This outbreak and the number of people affected - with over 110 people now in self isolation - represents a significant proportion of the population on Barra and this is an escalating and serious situation.

"We must suppress and contain this virus as quickly as possible. Please limit your household contact and take every precaution you can to protect yourself as your community."


An incident management team, set up in response to the outbreak, met on Saturday. They are urging islanders to be mindful of the risks around using local cash machines and limiting trips to supermarkets where possible.

The latest cases come after Scotland's national clinical director Prof Jason Leitch said a number of outbreaks on Scottish islands were "believed to be under control".

Other outbreaks on the islands have seen one positive case confirmed on Benbecula, while Orkney has one case and Shetland has four cases.

Prof Leitch told Friday's Scottish government coronavirus update that the islands were "not seeing sustained community transmission".

However, he acknowledged that could change, saying: "We've seen how fragile the position is across the rest of the country and we keep that under constant review."

More than 2,500 people in the Western Isles have so far received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, according to the local health authority.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
US Justice Department Launches Criminal Mortgage-Fraud Probe into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Escalating Drug Trafficking and Violence in Latin America: A Growing Crisis
US and Taiwanese Defence Officials Held Secret Talks in Alaska
Report: Secret SEAL Team 6 Mission in North Korea Ordered by Trump in 2019 Ended in Failure
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Florida Murder Case: The Adelson Family, the Killing of Dan Markel, and the Trial of Donna Adelson
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Brand-New $1 Million Yacht Sinks Just Fifteen Minutes After Maiden Launch in Turkey
Here’s What the FBI Seized in John Bolton Raid — and the Legal Risks He Faces
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Queen Camilla’s Teenage Courage: Fended Off Attempted Assault on London Train, New Biography Reveals
Scottish Brothers Set Record in Historic Pacific Row
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Court of Appeal Allows Asylum Seekers to Remain at Essex Hotel Amid Local Tax Boycott Threats
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
×