THE number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Scotland has risen by 159 amid a warning that lockdown measures could be reintroduced in Lanarkshire because of rising infection rates in the region.
Scottish Government figures reveal the second-highest increase in people testing positive for Covid-19 in three months - only one case fewer than Monday's total.
NHS Lanarkshire's director of public heath has warned that the region is "very close" to having to reimplement lockdown restrictions, similar to those introduced in the Glasgow area, after the number of cases rose by 16.
Lanarkshire's health board has now identified 3044 confirmed cases, an increase of 111 in the past five days.
Gabe Docherty said the figures "should be a wake-up call" for the region's residents to stick to social distancing guidelines and avoid large household gatherings.
READ MORE: Why 'we shouldn’t be' confused over UK quarantine rule differences
Calling for residents to try and limit the number of people they have contact with, Docherty said: "No-one wants another lockdown but Lanarkshire is very close to facing additional Covid-19 restrictions similar to those in Glasgow and neighbouring areas.
"Ahead of the weekend, and indeed beyond, we need everyone's help to avoid that happening by following well-publicised advice."
The number of new cases is also a sharp increase on the 101 patients who tested positive in the 24-hour period announced on Thursday.
Although no new deaths of coronavirus-positive patients have been registered in the past 24 hours, the death of a person in August has now been added to the total, which stands at 2496 casualties.
The number of tests carried out fell to 18,266, the lowest total for more than a week.
As of Thursday night, four people were in intensive care with coronavirus and a further 258 infected people were in hospital, although that figure includes patients who may not be receiving treatment for the disease.
READ MORE: Coronavirus in Scotland: 156 new cases confirmed over 24 hours
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde - the health board covering Glasgow City, East Refrewshire and West Dunbartonshire where local restrictions have been introduced - has recorded an increase of 73 positive cases.
NHS Grampian, where the Aberdeen bar cluster was identified last month, has recorded an increase of just six new cases.
A total of 10 cases have been discovered in Ayrshire and Arran, three in the Borders, six in Fife, seven in the Forth Valley, three in the Highlands, six in Tayside and 17 by NHS Lothian.
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