A further 255 people across Scotland have been diagnosed with coronavirus, Nicola Sturgeon confirmed today.
The latest update from the Scottish Government shows the new cases represents 6.3% of newly tested individuals.
A total of 73 people are in hospital across the country having recently tested positive for the virus – and eight of those are receiving treatment in intensive care units.
There have been no deaths related to coronavirus in the past 24 hours. Scotland’s death toll remains at 2,505.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, a total of 727,476 people in Scotland have been tested. Of these people, 24,626 were positive and 702,850 were confirmed negative.
A regional breakdown of the data shows there have been 16 new cases confirmed in the NHS Grampian health board area.
The total for the north-east and Moray is now 2,114.
In the Highlands, there have been a further two positive cases, taking the region’s total to 559.
There have been no new cases confirmed on the islands. The totals for Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles remain at 19,60 and 10 respectively.
The first minister said at the daily briefing cases have been recorded in all mainland health board areas. She highlighted 103 of the cases in the past 24 hours are in Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, 47 in Lanarkshire and 30 in Lothian.
She said “further and urgent” action is required as the virus is spreading again and is “preparing to introduce a package of additional measures” to bring the R number back down.