There have been 150 new confirmed cases of coronavirus recorded across the north and north-east.
Today’s new data has seen a rise almost entirely across each health board in Scotland as people tested at the UK government’s regional testing centres are included for the first time.
This additional data includes people who have been tested at drive-thru centres, mobile testing centres and those who have used home testing kits.
No new data had been released for individual health boards since Sunday.
Grampian has 116 new cases, taking its total to 1,410, while a further 32 cases in the Highlands take the region’s total to 373.
Orkney and the Western Isles had one new case each, taking their totals to nine and seven respectively.
There are 50 people in hospital in Grampian after testing positive for the virus and five in the Highlands.
There are fewer than five people in hospital with Covid-19 in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles.
Coronavirus in Scotland – track the spread in these charts and maps
Lockdown restrictions in Scotland will be eased further, with people who live on their own or only with children under 18 able to form an “extended household group” from Friday, Nicola Sturgeon said today.
This means they can meet indoors without physical distancing and can stay overnight as part of moving into phase two of the Scottish Government’s four-step plan to gradually lift lockdown.
Announcing the changes in a statement at the Scottish Parliament, the First Minister said there has been “clear and sustained” progress in tackling the virus.
“Though we are moving to phase two today, we are still being cautious and we are not going to do everything at once,” she said.
“We will take a staged approach to avoid bearing all of the risk at the same time.”
