More than 180 people with confirmed or suspected Covid-19 are currently being treated in hospitals in the north of Scotland.
The latest figures for Scotland show there are 147 hospital admissions in the Grampian area and another 41 in the Highlands.
Of those patients in the north-east, 13 are in intensive care.
A further nine positive cases have been also been confirmed in each of the regions in the past 24 hours. Grampian’s total is now 898 while there have been 297 cases in the north since the pandemic began.
The islands did not record any new cases since Saturday. Shetland’s total remains at 54, Orkney has had seven cases while the Western Isles has recorded six.
Across Scotland, a total of 60,295 people have been tested. Of these, 48,198 were confirmed negative and 12,097 tested positive.
The latest figures also show Scotland’s death toll has risen to 1,571.
Scottish Health Secretary Jeane Freeman announced that 12,097 people have now tested positive for the virus in Scotland, a rise of 170 from 11,927 the day before.
Speaking at the Scottish Government’s press briefing, Ms Freeman also said that there are 1,666 people in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19.
Of these patients, 99 patients were in intensive care, down nine since Saturday.
Ms Freeman pointed out that it was the first time the number of people in intensive care had fallen below 100 since March 29.
On the drop in the number of coronavirus patients in intensive care, Ms Freeman said: “It’s obviously very encouraging news.
“It does show that the restrictions are working, but it also underlines the reasons why we need to stick to them.
“So I want to thank all of you for the sacrifices you have made and I know will continue to make. I know it is not easy, but I hope you are beginning to see – as we do – that those sacrifices are beginning to show results.”