The first minister says the figures underline the need for further government support, with the current public health measures causing an economic emergency.

The first minister tells the briefing the job retention scheme has offered some relief, but many people will be very worried about the future of their livelihoods.

She says that is why more than £2.3bn has been allocated to support businesses and protect livelihoods and why so many measures from the UK government have been so warmly welcomed.

Skills Development Scotland has expanded its support by establishing a phone line and online service. The online service has received 120,000 visits since its launch.

She says the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board will coordinate rapid action to ensure actions help equip people with the skills needed for the future.

It will report back in June, adds the first minister, who confirms a further £33m will be invested to support people back to work as the economy gradually opens up again.

Most of the funding will be allocated to Fair Start Scotland and will focus on those adversely affected: young people, disabled people and lone parents.

The first minister says there is now an unemployment rate of 4.1%.

Ms Sturgeon adds that it is actually a relatively low rate by historical standards, but it is important to stress these figures do not reflect the full economic impact of the pandemic.

That's because they only go up to the end of March, she explains.

The first minister says this morning's publication of the latest employment figures are the first to include any of the period of the Covid-19 crisis.

They show that 113,000 people in Scotland are now unemployed, she says.

The latest figures on the labour market point to a huge increase in people claiming unemployment benefit in Scotland.

Across the UK in April, claimants went up by 856,500, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates.

Its figures suggest the number of people claiming unemployment benefit in Scotland increased by 66.9% - which would be up about 75,000 to 188,000.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirms 14,655 people have tested positive for Covid-19, an increase of 61 from yesterday.

1,447 patients are in hospital with a suspected or confirmed case (up 20). Of these:

• 969 cases are confirmed;
• 478 cases are suspected;
• and 59 patients being treated in intensive care (down four).

3,408 people have been discharged from hospital after receiving treatment for the virus since 5 March.

A further 29 people who tested positive have died, taking the total to 2,134 deaths in Scotland by that measure.

Image source, Getty Images

A senior Highland councillor says there needs to be a radical change to the way care is provided for older people in the region as a result of lessons being learned from the coronavirus pandemic.

Linda Munro, chairwoman of Highland Council's health and care committee, believes more emphasis should be placed on care at home and in the community.

She says there will always need to be care homes, but more care should be delivered to older people in their own homes.

About a third of deaths from Covid-19 in the NHS Highland area have been in care homes. Ms Munro says the local authority should help to change to care services.

Reevel Alderson
BBC Scotland Home Affairs correspondent

Image source, Scottish Parliament TV

The chief executive of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) says he hopes a pilot programme could allow some jury trials to resume in "the early summer."

Eric McQueen tells a virtual meeting of Holyrood's Justice Committee it is anticipated that by next March there could be a backlog of 3,000 trials at the High Court and sheriff courts if social distancing requirements were still in place.

He tells MSPs a short-term working group chaired by Scotland's second most senior judge is looking at ways to enable this to happen.

These include courts using smaller juries and increasing sentencing the powers of sheriffs, both of which would require legislative change.

But he said discussions had also taken place about splitting juries across more than one room and even allowing juries to hear cases by video link from a remote location

Mornings with Kaye Adams
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, Getty Images

Hand dermatitis is on the rise during the Covid-19 lockdown, consultant dermatologist Dr Vishal Madan reveals.

He tells BBC Radio Scotland that this is because of the frequent hand washing recommended to stop the spread of coronavirus and the increased use of potential irritants such as hand gels.

People are, however, showering less. But Dr Madan is not concerned as "showering is a luxury and doing it once, twice or three times a week, that's fine".

He adds: "If you're doing it more than once a day, I think that can have a detrimental effect on the skin."

Dr Madan explains that showering too much can remove the oils that protect the skin and harbour good bacteria and can lead to conditions like eczema.

• NHS Inform, external: As well as providing the most up-to-date guidance on physical health during the pandemic, the website also has a range of tools to support wellbeing - including guides on coping with depression and anxiety.
• Clear Your Head:, external Help, support and tips from the Scottish government.
• SAMH, external: Tips on protecting your mental health at this difficult time, including a blog series.

There are also a number of helplines available over the phone if you need someone to talk to...

• Breathing Space, external: A weekend and night-time service run by NHS 24:0800 83 85 87.
• Age Scotland, external: An advice and support line specifically for older people:0800 12 44 222.
• NSPCC Scotland, external: A support line for children and young people:0800 1111.
• Samaritans, external: A 24/7 service for crisis support:116 123.

Mornings with Kaye Adams
BBC Radio Scotland

Other areas of Scotland have been urged to learn from Edinburgh's good example of dealing with homelessness during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Scottish Drugs Forum chief executive David Liddell tells BBC Radio Scotland: "There's sadly considerable variation, with some areas closing the specialist addiction services to new clients, which is extremely worrying.

"We've also had areas that have deployed staff away from addiction services and our argument has been that they should be seen as a priority service because this population is at significant risk."

Helen Carlin, chief executive of homeless charity Rowan Alba, commended Edinburgh City Council for taking 150 people off the streets and housing them in four hotels.

However, she stresses: "While they now have a roof over their head and three square meals a day, these people still don't have a home. This has helped the problem, but I think it's important that we don't think that it has solved the problem of street homelessness."

Holyrood Live
BBC Parliaments

Image source, Getty Images

Green MSP Alison Johnstone is seeking to extend the minor ailments service to allow pharmacists to prescribe and dispense contraceptives.

Currently, the pill can only be accessed for free with a prescription from a GP. Ms Johnstone says the change will ease the pressure on the NHS and GP services.

Constitution Secretary Mike Russell says the amendment is not necessary as the Scottish government is already looking at making contraceptives available through the minor ailments service.

He says the scoping exercise has highlighted some safety and legal issues which need to be dealt with. "It's not a straight forward policy to deliver," he adds.

The Green amendment is defeated by six votes to three.

Mornings with Kaye Adams
BBC Radio Scotland

Some emergency measures to protect the homeless and those addicted to drugs during the Covid-19 crisis have proved so successful that they could become long-term measures, argues David Liddell, chief executive of the Scottish Drugs Forum.

In Edinburgh alone, 150 people have been taken off the streets and accommodated in hotels and, for some addicts, their methadone comes delivered to their door rather than dispensed at the pharmacy.

"People were fearful that this would lead to an increase in overdose deaths, but in fact anecdotal evidence says people are coping well," Mr Liddell tells BBC Radio Scotland. "It is giving people more responsibility for how they cope with their lives.

"We've been arguing for a lot of these changes for a long time. Services are now phoning vulnerable people on a daily basis and the feedback anecdotally from service users is that this is preferable to a six-weekly, 15-minute interview in a clinic."

Mr Liddell adds that he has not seen many cases of Covid-19 in the homeless population, or within people with drug problems, "perhaps because they have self-isolated".

David Allison
Good Morning Scotland report

Scottish taxi drivers are asking for urgent clarity on anti-coronavirus measures for private hire cabs.

Taxi owners want the Scottish government to intervene and allow them to install protective screens in their vehicles.

The drivers' trade association wants to use a crash-tested screen design which has been approved by insurance companies and which is already allowed by some English councils.

No official guidance has been given.

Barry Sloan, the Glasgow rep for United Private Hire Drivers, was shocked by the deaths and is now demanding that something is done to protect private hire drivers across Scotland.

Read the full story here.

Mornings with Kaye Adams
BBC Radio Scotland

The UK and world economy is "just at the beginning" of a transformation that in many ways "we don't even remotely understand", warns chartered financial analyst Louise Cooper.

"Global supply chains - the idea that you can save a bit of money by sourcing in China rather than having a local supplier - I think that is gone," she tells BBC Radio Scotland. "The security of your supplier for a business will be much more important.

"Working from home, working remotely, cycling to work rather than taking public transport. There are so many ways this is going to change our lives. This is a fundamental shift in so many ways.

"The potential to make our economy greener, The potential for women - because of the opportunity for flexible work and working from home. Women have been arguing for this for a very long time and businesses, predominantly run by men, have said no, we need you in the office.

"It would change a lot in society. I would be delighted if more flexibility in the workplace leads to a reduction in the gender pay gap."

Image source, Thomas Nugent

Inverclyde Council will discuss the potential docking of cruise ships on the Clyde during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The area's port operators have had requests to lay-up cruise ships with skeleton staff at Greenock and other sites.

Councillors are opposed due to the pressure that could be put on health services by an outbreak among crews.

But Peel Ports said there was no reason to treat cruise ships with minimal staff differently to cargo ships.

It comes as Inverclyde remains the worst-hit council area in terms of deaths involving coronavirus.

Read more here.

Mornings with Kaye Adams
BBC Radio Scotland

A national emergency can be a time of great opportunity as well as a threat to the job market, careers expert Corinne Mills tells BBC Radio Scotland.

With unemployment already on the rise and expected to increase further, she says: "Professionally, you are going to survive this time better if you are agile, good to spot the opportunities and go for it with as much positivity and derring-do that you possibly can.

"Whatever it is you have done in the past, you need to take a hard-headed look to see whether it is going to be needed in the future or if it will be needed in a different way."

The managing director of Personal Career Management suggests "everything technological" will be the growth area, pointing to skill shortages in areas like cyber security.

"This is a time of great disruption and national emergency," she adds. "You might not want to be stacking shelves in a supermarket or working in the community in 10 years time, but they are needed now and will show what you were willing to do in a time of crisis."