Covid in Scotland: Cases hit record high for third day in a row
- Published
Scotland recorded 2,622 new Covid cases in 24 hours - a record high for the third day in a row.
Thursday's figure came as people were urged to bring in the new year at home with their household in a bid to suppress the virus.
Parties, traditional "first-footing" and social events were banned this Hogmanay.
A total of 68 deaths of people who tested positive for the virus were recorded in the 24 hours - up 25.
Hospital admissions were at 1,174 - up 41 - while 70 people were in intensive care, up one.
The latest figure of 2,622 positive cases represents 10.1% of those newly tested, down from 11.3% on Wednesday.
A total of 680 of the new cases were in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, with 379 in NHS Lothian.
NHS Lanarkshire reported 372 new cases and there were 260 in NHS Grampian, with the remaining cases spread out across the other eight health board areas.
The previous record number of new cases since mass testing began was 2,045 on Wednesday.
Many of the latest cases have been linked to the new variant of Covid-19, which First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has warned is "fast becoming the dominant one in Scotland".
She asked the public to protect each other and the NHS by staying at home as the new year begins and avoiding the usual group celebrations.
The whole of the Scottish mainland is currently in the highest level of restrictions in a bid to contain the new strain.
Public Health Scotland analysis suggests 42.8% of positive tests processed for Scotland in the Lighthouse labs had the S gene drop-out that indicated the new variant.
The latest figures were published before the first doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid vaccine will be administered in Scotland.
From Monday, it will be given in two full doses, with the second being between four and 12 weeks after the first.
