NHS Grampian has recorded its highest daily increase in Covid cases since February 13, today’s government figures show.
There were 54 new cases recorded in the health board region over the last 24 hours – almost double yesterday’s total of 28, and the highest number since 57 were reported in the middle of February.
In total there were 19 cases in Aberdeen, 18 in Aberdeenshire and 17 in Moray.
The Scottish Government statistics also show there were 16 people in NHS Grampian hospitals with Covid yesterday – two more than the day before, but the highest number for a fortnight.
In the Highlands however, there were fewer people in NHS Highland hospitals with Covid than at any point since January 6, with nine patients being treated.
The health board also recorded just four new cases in the last 24 hours, the joint lowest daily total since December 6.
Coronavirus in Scotland – track the spread in these charts and maps
There were no new cases recorded on Orkney, Shetland or the Western Isles.
Scotland has recorded its highest number of daily cases for a month with 692, though that figure includes 57 historic cases sent from the NHS Lothian laboratory.
The country’s case positivity rate was 3.1%, continuing more than a month spent within the 5% threshold used to determine whether the spread of the virus is under control.
There were further signs of progress in Scotland’s hospitals, where 321 people with the virus were being treated – the lowest number since October 7 – and 31 people were in intensive care – the lowest number since October 8.
In the past 24 hours, the country has set a new record for administering second doses of the vaccine, with 13,581 people receiving theirs.
That beats the previous record by almost 3,000.
A further 34,940 people received their first dose, meaning 2,249,612 people in total have had a single jab and 249,252 have had two.
Read more
Closed Raigmore Hospital ward to reopen three weeks after Covid outbreak
Swinney: Only one in a thousand asymptomatic school Covid tests are positive
