Coronavirus hospital numbers were counted wrongly

Figures showed there were 46 people with coronavirus in Fife hospitals, but there were actually less than five.

According to figures released daily, the number of coronavirus sufferers in Fife hospitals dropped from 46 to less than five overnight on July 6.

NHS Fife said it had been counting those who no longer had the virus but were still in hospital for other reasons.

Medical Director, Dr Christopher McKenna, said: “NHS Fife sought guidance from Scottish Government on the criteria for the reporting of patients in hospital with confirmed covid19 in order that our data reporting was brought in line with other Health Boards.

“The data reported previously from hospitals in Fife included those patients who had clinically recovered from covid19 and who remained in hospital for other reasons. This patient group is no longer included in figures and this has resulted in a significant reduction in the numbers of those recorded as confirmed covid19 cases in our hospitals.”