A FURTHER 350 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Scotland, according to the Scottish Government’s latest data.

A health board breakdown showed there were 116 new cases in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, 56 new cases in Lanarkshire and 80 in the Lothian region.

The data also showed there have been three further deaths of people who tested positive for coronavirus in the last 28 days.

There were three more people in hospital with the virus, taking the total to 64, and nine in intensive care, an increase of four.

The figures mark the biggest increase in cases for months and account for 5.3% of those tested.

According to the World Health Organisation a good measure of how controlled the coronavirus is in a country is the percentage of tests which are positive each day.

If the percentage of positive cases remains less than 5% for two weeks, a government has a reasonable amount of control over cases and can consider reopening more of its economy.

Yesterday the First Minister warned that “hard, but necessary” decisions are likely to be coming in a matter of days as across the UK cases continue to increase.

Commenting on today's figures, Nicola Sturgeon called for a Cobra meeting to be held in the next 48 hours.

She wrote online: "There will always be fluctuations in daily figures - that’s why we look at 7 day averages to balance out variations in testing etc. Even with that caveat though, today’s report underlines fact that COVID is rising.

"Given serious situation across UK, I have also asked again that a 4 nations COBR meeting takes place over next 48 hours. While each of the 4 UK nations will reach our own decisions - rightly and properly - it makes sense to seek as much co-ordination and alignment as possible.

"We know from experience earlier in the year that speed and decisiveness of action is important in the fight against COVID, so @scotgov  will seek to reach considered decisions as quickly as possible, and I will update as usual through my daily briefings.

"In meantime, I ask everyone across Scotland to be extra careful. Minimise interactions with other households and keep to a maximum of 6 people from 2 households (if in Glasgow, E/W Dunbartonshire, E/Renfrewshire and N/S Lanarkshire please don’t visit other households at all)."