Scotland’s Covid infection rate continues to rise as 6,711 people test positive

Covid cases across Scotland are continuing to rise with more than 6,700 people testing positive in the latest 24 hours.

The latest figures released by the Scottish Government revealed a total of 6,711 people have contracted Covid-19.

Today’s figures mark a rise in Covid infections, with an additional 311 people testing positive overnight.

A further 10 people have died taking the country’s total death toll to 8,154.

On Thursday, Scotland recorded its highest death toll in six months with 17 reported deaths.

This week, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced plans to roll out Covid vaccine passports as cases continue to rise.

Regional breakdown

Health boards in the north and north-east have recorded another surge in infections, with case numbers exceeding 400 in the north-east.

NHS Grampian have recorded 416, an increase of 72 infections overnight.

It takes the region’s total number of infections to 28,689.

NHS Highland also recorded a slight increase in cases, with 354 reported in the latest 24 hours.

Health boards in the Islands have also reported new cases overnight, with 11 cases in the Western Isles, seven cases in Shetland and two cases in Orkney.

The majority of Scotland’s Covid infections are confined to the central belt.

NHS Glasgow and Clyde reported the highest infection rate in Scotland, with 2,107 new cases in the latest 24 hours.

NHS Lanarkshire also recorded an increase in cases, with 1,138 people testing positive.

Read more:

• Coronavirus in Scotland – track the spread with these charts
• Covid vaccine in Scotland: Track the rollout progress with these charts
• MSPs due to vote on vaccine passport plan on Thursday

Vaccine roll out

A total of 3,039 people received the first dose of the Covid vaccine, taking the total to 4,114,552.

Meanwhile, 3,709,328 of Scotland’s adults are now fully vaccinated after 10,078 people received the second dose of their Covid-19 vaccine in the latest 24 hours.

Drop-in centres are being held by health boards across the country, as the roll out of Scotland’s largest vaccination programme continues.