Covid in Scotland: New cases pass 3,000 to reach new record high
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A further 3,285 cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in Scotland, setting another new record for the number of positive tests.
A total of 12.6% of those tested for the virus were positive. No deaths were recorded, although registration offices are generally closed over the weekend.
The previous highest number was the 2,999 cases reported last Thursday.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the "steep rise" in cases showed that people should be "really careful".
But she said there was "positive news" from the vaccine programme, which she said was preventing a similar rise in the number of people in hospital or losing their lives.
Break the link
Ms Sturgeon will host a briefing on Tuesday with Dr Gregor Smith, the chief medical officer, to discuss the rising Covid case numbers.
She is likely to repeat her warnings to the public to take care with three weeks to go until a further easing of restrictions.
The government aims to move the whole of Scotland to the lowest level of the five-tier system of restrictions on 19 July, before lifting most measures entirely in August.
However, the announcement of these plans has coincided with a sharp rise in new cases of the virus, with infections surpassing the highest levels of the "second wave" in January.
Ministers hope the vaccine programme can break the link between rising case numbers and serious illness, leading to hospital admissions, and deaths.
A total of 202 people were in hospital on Sunday with a recently-confirmed case of Covid-19, with 20 in intensive care.
Meanwhile, 3.7 million people have now had a first dose of a vaccine, while just under 2.7 million have had two doses.
Ms Sturgeon said: "We're seeing quite a steep rise in Covid cases right now.
"The positive news is that vaccination is providing a lot of protection so we are not seeing a commensurate rise in the number of people going into hospital or intensive care, or dying from the virus."
However, she stressed that people should not be complacent.
Scotland may no longer be competing in the Euros, but we are top of one league - with the highest case rate of all the UK nations.
The biggest group testing positive is young men and there are suggestions the football is to blame. This could account for some cases, but public health officials report outbreaks at weddings, workplaces, schools, and a whole variety of settings.
It doesn't feel like we are winning the race against the virus. The weekly average is now higher than it was in the January peak. Back then, lockdown measures were in place to bring those numbers down. But now, with people free to mix, the risk is that the only way for the numbers to go is up.
In the long term we may need to get used to having high case numbers. The key is having trust that the vaccines will do their job, limiting the numbers of people that get seriously ill and need hospital treatment.
But there are still plenty of people to get their first jag. It's a delicate time and again, we're being asked not to drop our guard.
"There are still a number of people who are not yet fully vaccinated, although we are vaccinating as quickly as supplies will allow," she said.
"And while this vaccine programme is highly effective, vaccines are not 100% effective.
"So if we don't want to see the virus run ahead of the vaccines, it's really important everybody is really careful."
The first minister would not be drawn on whether the increase in cases would have an impact on the planned easing of restrictions, saying a formal review would be carried out closer to the time.
