ANOTHER 290 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed.
The cases represent 4% of newly tested individuals and bring the total to 23,573.
No further deaths were recorded among confirmed patients in the past 24 hours, meaning the total under that measurement remains 2501.
According to provisional information, 112 of the new cases were in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 52 were in Lanarkshire and 47 were in Lothian. The 79 other cases were spread across nine other health boards.
Some 52 people were in hospital with confirmed Covid-19, one more than 24 previously.
Of those, five were in intensive care, a decrease of one.
Providing a coronavirus update in the Scottish Parliament, the First Minister said: “My condolences, and I’m sure everybody across this chamber, go to everyone who has lost a loved one.”
Sturgeon also said Scotland’s R number – the number of people who will be infected by one infectious person – is above 1 and possibly as high as 1.4
She added: “Of course we hope the new rules which came into effect on Monday will help to reduce transmission and we will of course monitor this very carefully. We are also considering whether any further restrictions may be necessary either for all or part of the country.”
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