NICOLA Sturgeon reported another 31 lives have been lost to Covid-19 in Scotland over the last 24 hours.
The First Minister told the Scottish Government daily briefing that the number of people who have died after testing positive in the prior 28 days now stands at 4070.
These figures differ from those published by the National Records of Scotland, which records all deaths where Covid-19 is considered a contributory or suspected factor.
The First Minister said another 1001 coronavirus cases have been confirmed, accounting for 4.6% of all tests carried out.
She told the briefing: “In absolute terms that number is the highest we’ve had for a little while.
READ MORE: Covid Scotland: Self-isolation period cut from 14 to 10 days
“However just to give a little bit of context the test positivity is below 5% and that’s encouraging.”
She explained the World Health Organisation considers that figure determinant of whether an outbreak is under control. However, she said it is a reminder that the virus has “not gone away”.
Of the new cases 246 are in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 196 are in Lothian, 125 are in Lanarkshire, 117 are in Ayrshire and Arran and 111 are in Grampian. The other cases are spread across the remaining six mainland health board areas.
There are 999 people in hospital, an increase of 15 on the previous day and 53 in intensive care, an increase of one.
The update came as the Scottish Government removed the Canary Islands from the quarantine exemption list. From tomorrow morning at 4am people returning from the islands will be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
This afternoon it was announced that from Monday the official quarantine period will be reduced to 10 days.
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