A FURTHER 71 coronavirus deaths have been registered in Scotland over the last 24 hours, the First Minister has confirmed.
Speaking at the Scottish Government’s Covid-19 briefing Nicola Sturgeon said the total number of people to die within 28 days of testing positive for the virus now stands at 5828.
These figures differ from those published by the National Records of Scotland – the body records all deaths where the virus is mentioned on the death certificate.
Another 1480 coronavirus cases have been recorded over 24 hours, the First Minister added, accounting for 6.9% of the total number of tests carried out.
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As of 8.30am there had been 358,454 people given their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine across Scotland, Sturgeon said.
Of the new cases there were 427 in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 272 in Lanarkshire, 166 in Lothian, with the remaining cases spread across 11 other health board areas.
There were 2053 people in hospital with the virus, an increase of 49 on the previous day, with 161 of them in intensive care – unchanged from the day prior.
Speaking on Scotland’s death toll, the First Minister said: “As it always is that figure is a really sharp reminder of just how devastating this virus can be.”
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The update came as it emerged the UK Government is looking at closing the borders entirely to stop the spread of coronavirus.
The Environment Secretary told Sky News the possibility would be looked at amid fears over new variant strains of the virus.
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