A HEALTHCARE worker at Carlisle's Cumberland Infirmary has been revealed as one of 10 new coronavirus cases just over the border.

Yesterday, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon lifted the five-mile travel restriction that had been in place across Scotland for all areas except Annan, Gretna, Dumfries, Lockerbie and several other surrounding towns and villages.

It comes as the Carlisle hospital has also been forced to close its cardiac ward to new admissions, following a number of positive test results.

Speaking at her daily coronavirus briefing, Mrs Sturgeon said of the outbreak in Dumfries and Galloway: "So far, 10 positive cases have been identified and a significant number of contacts are being traced and tested.

"As a precaution, staff at three workplaces with connections to those cases are also being tested today and mobile testing units have been deployed.

"We are very hopeful that this outbreak will be contained - and I should stress there is no evidence at this stage to suggest otherwise.

"But until contact tracing and testing has been completed, we cannot be absolutely sure of that. That means we must act on a precautionary basis."

The restrictions will continue "until the testing and contact tracing process has been completed".

"If you run a business in these areas, including at the Gretna Gateway Outlet Village, please be extra vigilant about hygiene and physical distancing," Mrs Sturgeon added.

"In addition, care homes in those five areas will unfortunately not be able to welcome visitors this weekend."

Scotland's National Clinical Director of Healthcare Quality and Strategy, Professor Jason Leitch, confirmed that one of the new identified cases was a "healthcare worker" at the Cumberland Infirmary.

“The initial first case, and it may not be the index case, but the first case that we were aware of is a healthcare worker from the Carlisle hospital," he said.

"And that may be connected to a nosocomial (originating in a hospital) outbreak at that Carlisle hospital.

“But we cannot be sure until we do [more detailed testing] at a much slower rate."

It was announced yesterday that the Cumberland Infirmary's cardiac ward had been closed to new admissions following a number of patients testing positive for Covid-19.

The North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Trust, which runs the Cumberland Infirmary, has stressed it is still able to treat cardiac cases and that patients should not refrain from attending appointments.

The trust has also stressed that infection prevention measures are in place.

A spokeswoman for the trust said: “We appreciate that patients and their families are concerned, however all appropriate precautions are in place and we will ensure that patients are updated.

“Patient safety is our highest priority as such we have in place a number of measures to ensure people's safety."