ANOTHER eight people have died in Scotland after contracting Covid-19, national clinical director Jason Leitch has announced.
A further 400 cases were also recorded in the past 24 hours, with a positivity rate of 1.8%.
The deaths, among people who first tested positive within the previous 28 days, bring the total under that measurement to 7610.
Speaking at a coronavirus briefing, Leitch said the daily test positivity rate is down 0.3% in 24 hours.
There are 215 people in hospital confirmed to have the virus, down 22 in 24 hours.
Of those, 21 are in intensive care, no change on the previous day.
The latest figures come a day before the easing of some lockdown measures in Scotland.
From Friday, the stay at home rule is being dropped, with people instead told to "stay local". Travel outwith council areas remains prohibited.
No updated figures have been provided as yet for coronavirus vaccinations.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here