Coronavirus: R number in Scotland possibly as high as 1.6 Nicola Sturgeon says

The First Minister advised that details of the R number will be publish

The First Minister advised the estimated R number would be published later today

The coronavirus reproduction rate in Scotland could be as high as 1.6, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said.

Ms Sturgeon added that the increasing rate of transmission of the virus underlines why the Scottish Government has toughened the coronavirus restrictions, which include banning Scots from entering each others houses and imposing a 10pm curfew on the hospitality industry.

On Thursday the Scottish Government publishes the estimate of the R number each week.

Ms Sturgeon confirmed that a further 465 people have tested positive for Covid-19, which represents 7.9 per cent of those tested in the past 24 hours.

73 of the positive cases were in the Lothians.

The total number of positive cases in Scotland has risen to 25,960.

Ms Sturgeon has urged Scots to limit their social interaction ‘as much as possible’ and to download the Protect Scotland app.