Scotland has recorded its first day of 2022 with fewer than 10,000 new cases of coronavirus, according to the latest statistics.
There were 7,651 cases recorded across the country in the past 24 hours – a figure that would have seemed exceptionally high before Christmas Eve, but in fact represents a fall of almost 5,000 from Saturday’s total.
However, the number of people with Covid being treated in Scotland’s hospitals has increased again, as has the number in intensive care.
There are 1,382 people in hospital across the country with the virus, an increase of 21 from Saturday.
The last time a number that high was recorded was February 16 last year, as the last winter peak receded, when there were 1,383 people in hospital.
The most recent reported figure for people in ICU is 55, seven more than Saturday and the highest since the beginning of December.
There were three deaths of people who had recently tested positive for coronavirus in the past 24 hours, down from 26 yesterday – though this number may be affected by the fact most register offices are closed at weekends.
No new statistics are released for local authority areas or individual health boards at weekends, but Friday’s data shows 78 people were in NHS Grampian hospitals.
NHS Highland, meanwhile, had 33 people with Covid in hospital, six of whom were in intensive care.
