Drop in Scots Covid cases 'cause for optimism' but expert warns NHS still 'under threat'

The recent decline in the number of Scots infected with Covid-19 is a "cause for optimism", according to a Scottish health expert.

But Jillian Evans said the NHS is "not out of the woods yet" despite the reduced number of infections.. Ms Evans, head of health intelligence at NHS Grampian, said she was encouraged by data in recent days which shows a slowing-down of infections.But she said the health board is expected to come under pressure over the next two weeks.She made the comments while speaking on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland radio programme this morning.When asked about the situation in her health board area, she said: "What a difference a week has made for us."Certainly, a slowing down of those infection rates that we saw in just in the run-up to Christmas and at the start of New Year."And said the effect of the Omicron wave would still be felt in hospitals around Scotland.She explained: "The baked-in cases that we've got, we expect to see for the next week, two weeks."So that means that we're still under pressure in health and social care systems, but it gives us some cause for optimism."Particularly when you start to look at the effects elsewhere in Scotland and the UK and in other parts of the world where the Omicron wave happened sooner, we're starting to see a slowdown or even a plateauing of hospitalisations."So that's positive news, but we're nowhere near out of the woods yet."Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said on Friday that the Omicron wave appeared to be "decelerating" but more data was needed to be definitive.On Thursday, the Scottish Government's daily coronavirus figures included both PCR and lateral flow test numbers for the first time.This was due to a change in the rules where a positive