A FURTHER 640 new coronavirus cases have been recorded in Scotland over the last 24 hours, the First Minister has said.

Speaking at the Scottish Government’s Covid-19 briefing, Nicola Sturgeon also reported seven new virus deaths – the highest daily figure since June 17. This takes the total recorded under that measure to 2519.

The latest figures also showed that 14 more people were in hospital with coronavirus than yesterday, taking the total to 137.

The First Minister explained that of the new coronavirus cases identified, 232 were in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area, 160 were in Lothian, 73 were in Lanarkshire and the remaining 175 were spread across nine other health board areas.

The percentage of people to test positive of all swabs reported yesterday was 10.3%.

Sturgeon added that the latest Public Health Scotland figures showed that in the week ending September 26, there were 94 Covid-19 admissions to hospital, up from 58 in the previous week. This was a 60% increase in hospital admissions from one week to the next.

“It should remind us of how wrong it is to assume that, because the recent rise in cases has been driven by the younger population, it is nothing to worry about,” she told viewers.

"That is, in my view, dangerous complacency that we simply cannot afford right now.”