Coronavirus cases in South Ayrshire continue to rise with the current surge leaving us as the second worst affected local authority area in the country.

Cases are rising across Scotland, but only Dundee City currently have a higher seven-day rate per 100,000 of population than our 230.

That translates as 259 cases between June 5-11 and is an increase from 201 last week.

It comes as 20 schools in the area have reportedly had some form of contact tracing following cases either in the schools or connected to them. There are only four neighbourhoods out of 25 that are currently classified as having suppressed cases.

The National Records of Scotland reported last week that there were three deaths in South Ayrshire where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate between May 31- June 6.

It’s the first time COVID related deaths have been recorded in the area for five weeks.

Of the adult population in South Ayrshire, 83.1 per cent have had at least one dose of a COVID vaccine and 65.3 per cent have had both doses.

Scotland was due to move to level zero on June 28 but it looks like that might be unlikely given the rise in cases and hospital admissions.

The Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said on Sunday that we’re in the “very early days of a potential third wave”and that he couldn’t commit to any specific dates on entering level zero at this stage.

The First Minister is due to give an update in Holyrood on Tuesday, with England set to announce COVID rules will remain until late July as we went to press.