Covid case numbers are continuing to rise as almost 1,000 new cases were recorded over the past 24 hours.
New government data has shown that there has been 992 new cases of the virus recorded across Scotland in the past 24 hours.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon held an unscheduled briefing today to discuss the rising numbers and urge Scots to “exercise great care” ahead of this weekend’s easing of restrictions.
The new cases are heavily around three health board areas: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have recorded 304 new cases, NHS Lothian reported 213 and NHS Tayside with 144 cases.
It has been confirmed that two people have died from the virus, one person from Glasgow City and one from North Lanarkshire.
18 people have been admitted to hospital with the virus and one person has been taken to intensive care.
Test positivity rate has increased to 3.9%.
Local cases
NHS Grampian accounts for 28 of the new cases, with Aberdeen City recording 19 cases. Aberdeenshire reported eight new cases of the virus and Moray has only recorded one.
NHS Highland recorded 14 new cases, and Shetland has recorded two while both Orkney and the Western Isles have one case each.
Vaccine roll-out
As for the Scottish government vaccination programme, 3,326,005 people have received the first dose of the Covid vaccination and 2,170,570 have received their second dose.
At her briefing this afternoon, Ms Sturgeon said the country was at a “critical juncture” in the fight against the virus, with the vaccine roll-out racing against a quickening spread.