The number of people with Covid being treated in hospitals in Scotland is at its highest level for almost 11 months, according to the latest Scottish Government statistics.
There were 1,323 people with the virus in Scottish hospitals yesterday, the highest number since February 15 last year, when the country was recovering from its most significant wave of hospitalisations.
Unlike at that time, however, there is currently no corresponding rise in admissions to intensive care units – there are currently 48 ICU patients in Scotland, an increase of five from yesterday but well below any previous peaks.
In the NHS Grampian health board area, there are 78 people in hospital, more than double the recent low of 37 recorded less than two weeks ago on Boxing Day.
However, this number remains below the level recorded near the beginning of last month, when close to 100 people were being treated.
Recently released data from the health board shows 63% of the patients with Covid between December 30 and January 4 most likely contracted the virus before being admitted to an NHS Grampian hospital.
In NHS Highland hospitals, there are 33 people with Covid being treated, up from a low of seven on December 27. Six are currently in intensive care.
Across the country, there were 14,486 new cases of coronavirus recorded, up from 11,360 yesterday but still lower than most of the daily counts reported since the beginning of the year.
The three island local authorities – the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland – were the only parts of Scotland to record fewer than 100 new cases. They had 47, 43 and 41 respectively.
There were 15 new deaths of people who had recently tested positive for the virus in the past 24 hours. Edinburgh recorded the most, with four.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, 9,905 people have died who have tested positive while 12,470 deaths have been registered in Scotland where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.
