Covid cases in Renfrewshire soar by more than EIGHT times in just weeks

Covid cases in Renfrewshire have skyrocketed more than eight times higher than just five weeks ago when Omicron was first discovered, the Express can reveal.Between Christmas and New Year, the area recorded a total of 4,826 cases, with the infection rate per 100,000 people soaring to 2,690.4 - one of the highest in the country.Cases have continued to surge over the past five weeks since the first cases of the Omicron variant were discovered in the UK on November 27.In the week from November 27 to December 4, there were 562 confirmed cases with a positivity rate of just 313 per 100,000.During that week, 9,122 people in the area were tested for Covid-19, with six per cent of those carried out returning a positive result.Don't miss the latest headlines from around Renfrewshire.

Sign up to our newsletters here. In the week of December 27 to January 2, the number of tests rose significantly to 17,117.However, as did the percentage of positive results, which was recorded at more than 28 per cent.The stark figures come as Nicola Sturgeon announced changes to isolation periods to reduce the impact covid is having on the public and the economy.As of tomorrow, isolation for fully vaccinated people who record two negative lateral flow tests has been cut from 10 to seven days.During an online Scottish Parliament briefing the First Minister said that anyone over the age of 18 and four months who is not fully vaccinated will still be ordered to self-isolate for ten days if they come into contact with someone who has tested positive.Fully vaccinated is classed as someone who has had three doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.Nicola Sturgeon said: