Covid in Scotland: Rise in number of people in hospitals with virus
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The number of hospital patients with Covid in Scotland has continued to rise amid high case rates in the community.
An average of 1,770 people in Scottish hospitals had the virus last week - an increase of 6.1% on the previous week, according to Public Health Scotland.
It is not known how many were being treated for Covid, or how many were receiving treatment for other conditions.
Covid rates in Scotland have been increasing for six weeks in a row.
Data in the latest latest infection survey, external from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated that 334,000 - 1 in 16 people - in Scotland would have tested positive for the virus.
This was a slight increase from 1 in 17 the previous week, the ONS said.
Cases are also continuing to increase across the rest of the UK, with 1 in 19 people in England estimated to have Covid last week, while the figure was 1 in 17 in both Wales and Northern Ireland.
The new PHS Covid-19 statistical report, published on Wednesday, external, now quotes the ONS figure for case numbers rather than its usual figure for reported cases.
The ONS sampling is considered a better indicator than the PHS data as so few people are now reporting test results.
The report also confirms there were 21 new admissions to Intensive Care Units (ICUs) last week with a laboratory confirmed Covid test, down two from the previous week.
And it highlights National Records of Scotland figures, external which show that in the week ending 10 July there were 83 deaths involving Covid, an increase of 22.
Earlier, Jillian Evans, head of health intelligence at NHS Grampian, said there were more than 100 hospital patients with Covid in the region.
She told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "That is a considerable number of people requiring beds across our health system.
"It's an enduring problem for us now, not just something that we are expecting to happen in the winter time and we can relax for the rest of the year."
Ms Evans said staff absences appeared to be slowing down, which was consistent with what was being seen in the community.
She added: "All the signs about the (Omicron sub-variant) BA.5 and coming out of that are looking quite positive at the moment.
"It is the next stage that we are starting to consider."
Ms Evans also emphasised the importance of the vaccination programme and said about 300,000 adults in Scotland had yet to have a first dose.
'Chronic load'
Meanwhile, Prof Stephen Reicher, a social psychology expert at the University of St Andrews, said infection rates remained "stubbornly high".
And he told Good Morning Scotland this was putting a "chronic load" on the NHS.
But Prof Reicher, who advises both the Scottish and UK governments on Covid-19, said measures such as improving ventilation, supporting people to stay home when they are sick and wearing face coverings would help drive down cases.
Last week it was confirmed everyone over the age of 50 would be offered an additional Covid booster jab in the autumn.
Other groups of people at higher risk from the virus will also be given another dose of the vaccine to boost their immunity.
They include care home residents and staff, frontline health workers, carers and people with some health conditions.