Covid in Scotland: Fall in the number of people with the virus

The number of people estimated to have Covid in Scotland has fallen over the last week, official figures suggest.

However, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated the new, more virulent strain of the virus was responsible for 38% of the positive cases north of the border.

The agency found about 37,100 (one in 140) people in Scotland had Covid in the seven days to 18 December.

That figure has fallen from 52,500 (one in 100) in the week up to 11 December.

The ONS said its data on the new variant of the coronavirus should be treated with caution due to the small numbers involved.

It found that 7% of positive tests were the new variant in the week beginning 7 December, and that rose to 14% in the following week.

Although it rose to 38% in Scotland last week, it was much more dominant among positive tests in London (68%), the east and the south-east of England (both 65%).

The data was published as the new strain was detected in outbreaks of the virus in Dumfries and Galloway.

Valerie White, the region's interim director public health, said it had been found in Wigtownshire and lower Annandale.

"We do not want to cause any undue concern, but due to the increased risk of transmission that this strain is understood to pose, we feel it is important that people are made aware to enable them to factor this information into their arrangements - not just tomorrow but over coming days," she said.

While the overall positivity rate has fallen in Scotland, the ONS estimated it had risen to one in 85 people in England and one in 60 in Wales.

The ONS found one in 100 people in Scotland had Covid in the week to 11 December - when large swathes of the country emerged from a level four lockdown.

At the end of the following week, when an estimated one in 140 people had the virus, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and East Lothian moved from level two to level three.

Meanwhile, the latest daily statistics published by the Scottish government show there have been 43 new confirmed Covid deaths reported in the last 24 hours, bringing the total by this measure to 4.416 since the start of the outbreak.

In the last day, another 1,314 new cases of Covid have been reported - which is 5.3% of all tests carried out in Scotland.

There were 1,008 people in hospital (down 17) on Wednesday with recently confirmed Covid, and 56 in intensive care (no change).

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