Covid Scotland: 6,170 new cases and nine additional deaths in last 24 hours

In the last 24 hours Scotland has recorded another 6,170 new cases and another nine deaths related to Covid-19.

Speaking to the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that 6,170 positive cases were reported yesterday, which was 11.5 per cent of all tests carried out.

Yesterday 629 people were in hospital with Covid-19, which was 44 more than the day before, and 59 people were in intensive care, five more than the day before.

Another nine deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours which takes the total number of deaths registered – under this daily definition of people who tested positive in the last 28 days – to 8,127.

To date, 4,108,804 people have received a first dose of the Covid-19 vaccination and 3,691,066 have had both doses.

The First Minister said that 74 per cent of 18 to 29-year-old’s have had a first dose which means that in the coming days the proportion of fully vaccinated young people will continue to rise.

She added that “almost exactly” half of 16 and 17-year-old’s in Scotland have had a first dose and work to increase uptake further is ongoing.

The country has seen a “significant” rise in case numbers in recent weeks, with case levels today being 80 per cent higher than they were last week, and five time higher than they were four weeks ago.

Here are the latest coronavirus figures in Scotland.

The First Minister said that while they expected to see a spike in cases when restrictions were eased, the rate of the increase is “still concerning”.

She said: “Just as vaccines have changed the game for us in a very good way, Delta has changed it in a very challenging way. That has been very evident to us in the last few weeks.

“That is why we have been reminding the public in recent days that - if we are to avoid any re-imposition of restrictions, even in a limited way, as we all want to do - we must all play our part to slow transmission.

“We have been urging everyone to comply with all the basic mitigations still in place - face coverings for example - and to follow all public health advice.

“If we all do that I am hopeful that we can turn the corner without having to re-impose any restrictions."

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