And increased testing is to be made available in Stranraer this week following a spike there.
The new cases in the town are related to a number of settings and there
is concern that community transmission could be taking place.
As a result, visiting has once again been suspended at the Galloway Community Hospital, along with indoor visiting at care homes in Stranraer for 14 days.
Valerie White, interim director of public health for the region, said: “I am aware that the decisions regarding visiting will cause a level of anxiety and disappointment among hospital patients, their families, care home residents and their loved ones. However, we must ensure that we do everything we can to protect our patients, our care home residents, staff and their families as we continue to address the challenges that Covid-19 presents.
“Our local Test and Protect team will continue to work with positive cases, identify their close contacts and provide relevant advice and support regarding self isolation to prevent further transmission to the community.”
Ms White acknowledged the concerns of the local community and emphasised that everyone must play their part in the fight against coronavirus. In particular, she stressed that any individual with symptoms, even if they are mild, must self isolate and arrange a test and work with the local Test and Protect Team if they receive a positive result.
