Coronavirus in Scotland: 'High number of cases among student populations'

Scotland’s First Minister has said that a large number of coronavirus cases during term time were linked to Edinburgh University’s Pollock Halls of Residence.

Pollock Halls of Residence in Edinburgh.

Nicola Sturgeon highlighted cases among the student populations in Scotland during today’s coronavirus briefing.

She said a new report on coronavirus outbreaks among students showed that between the start of August and the end of November there were almost 3,000 cases linked to “student postcodes” – which are postcodes for halls of residence or other student accommodation.

However, she also said that there had been a strong uptake of the testing on offer to students.

Almost two-thirds of the cases occurred in a three-week period between late September and early October, Ms Sturgeon added.

She said that more than three-quarters of the cases had been found in Edinburgh and Glasgow – with around a quarter found in students living in the Pollock Halls of Residence at Edinburgh University and Glasgow University’s Murano Halls.

The First Minister also referred to a Public Health Scotland report which showed that in the seven days after November 30, some 22,000 tests on students were carried out using lateral flow devices.

These more rapid tests are being offered to those university students planning to return home for Christmas, with Ms Sturgeon noting that because students are being urged to be tested twice, the figures do not mean 22,000 people have been tested.

But she said it was a “promising figure” which showed “strong uptake of the testing on offer to students”.