ANOTHER 21 people have died after testing positive for Covid-19 as more than 7600 people have tested positive for the virus, according to the latest figures.

A further 7606 people tested positive for the coronavirus in data published on January 12, with a positivity rate of 19.1%.

The 21 deaths - among people who died within 28 days of testing positive for the virus - brings the total toll under the daily measure to 9971.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) said that, whilst improving, there continue to be large volumes of tests being processed by laboratories which has impacted turnaround times “resulting in delays between specimens beings taken and results being received and reported”, and that PHS are continuing to monitor the situation.

READ MORE: Tory government's VIP lane for PPE contracts ruled 'illegal' in High Court

The figures show that there were 1537 people in hospital on Tuesday with recently confirmed Covid-19, an increase of 58 on the day before.

Of those patients, 59 were in intensive care, an increase of five.

In terms of the vaccination effort,  4,394,756 people in Scotland have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccination and 4,054,752 have received their second dose.

A total of 3,145,537 have received a third dose or booster.