NO NEW cases of Covid-19 have been reported in the Forth Valley over the past few days, understood to be the first time since the outbreak.

According to statistics released by the Scottish Government, the total number of coronavirus cases confirmed in the area covered by NHS Forth Valley stood at 919 on May 27.

The same figure was being reported yesterday and today (May 28 and 29) and there has only been one new case reported across NHS Fife since Wednesday, May 27.

In the Forth Valley, there have only been four new cases reported since last Saturday, May 23.

While the figures show a welcome trend, health chiefs are asking people to stick to following national guidance in a bid to keep the transmission of the virus under control.

Dr Graham Foster, NHS Forth Valley's director of public health, said: “We are starting to see a slowdown in the number of Covid-19 cases in our hospitals and communities and while this is encouraging it is important that local people across Forth Valley continue to follow the national guidance to ensure this trend isn’t reversed and the number of cases starts to increase.”