Scotland’s has recorded 16,857 new Covid cases in the last 24-hours – another record high since the pandemic began.
Since Christmas, case numbers have been on the rise – with no more than 8,000 ever recorded in a single day before.
Of the nearly 72,000 tests that have been taken over the past 24 hours, 27.1% of those have yielded a positive result.
However, like much of the UK, Scotland is facing increased demand for lateral flow tests with kits currently unavailable for home delivery.
NHS Grampian is currently reporting the fifth-highest new positive cases with 1,168 being detected since yesterday.
It follows other health boards such as NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lothian and NHS Lanarkshire, and NHS Tayside.
Further north, NHS Highland reported 533 new cases, NHS Shetland an additional 34 cases, NHS Western Isles 25 and NHS Orkney 13.
Hospitals and vaccinations
Earlier today, NHS Grampian’s head of health intelligence Jillian Evans said staff were dealing with a double pandemic, as cases of Delta are emerging again.
She warned case numbers still have to spike following increased mixing at Christmas.
Currently, the Scottish Government is implementing an accelerated booster programme in a bid to slow down Omicron’s spread.
Today’s figures show that 4,381,226 people have received their first Covid vaccine, while 4,012,490 have received their second jab.
Out of those people, 2,944,977 have received their third or booster jab.
Data surrounding the newest variant of coronavirus is still being analysed by experts across the country, with some suggesting that it may have milder symptoms but remains more transmissible than other variants.
The transmissibility of the new variant could result in a surge of hospital admissions, 810 people were reported to be in hospital with confirmed cases of Covid.
A total of 34 people are currently in intensive care units across the country due to Covid, while a further nine people have died from the virus.
Read more:
Covid cases likely to continue rising until New Year, expert says
In full: The new Omicron rules in Scotland
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