Sturgeon calls for caution as Scotland records highest number of Covid cases

Nicola Sturgeon has urged caution after Scotland recorded its highest number of coronavirus cases over 24 hours since the start of the pandemic.

Scottish Government figures for Monday show 3,285 people had reported positive Covid-19 tests overnight.

This beats the previous record of 2,999 new cases on Thursday, which topped the largest number of 2,969 recorded the previous day and the high of 2,649 on January 7.

In a video tweeted by the Scottish Government, the First Minister said: “We’re seeing a steep rise in Covid cases in Scotland right now as we face the faster transmitting Delta strain of the virus.

“The good news is that vaccines are providing significant protection, we’re not at this stage seeing a commensurate rise in the number of people in hospital or becoming seriously ill from this virus, but it’s important that we are not complacent.

“There are still many people who don’t yet have both doses of the vaccine – we’re going as fast as we can – but we still have a significant proportion of the population that is not fully vaccinated.

“If we are to avoid the virus running ahead of the vaccine, it’s really important that all of us take care and be cautious.

“I’m asking everybody across Scotland at this crucial time as we look ahead, hopefully to the finishing line, to do all of the things that help slow the virus down.

“Let’s all keep working together to slow the virus down while we allow the vaccination programme to get ahead, that will get us safely to the endpoint if we all pull together for this next period.”

No new deaths had been recorded, meaning the toll under this daily measure – of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days – remains at 7,712.

But the daily test positivity rate is 12.6%, up from 8.9% the previous day, and is the highest figure since 14.8% was recorded on January 8.

A total of 202 people were in hospital on Sunday with recently confirmed Covid-19, with 20 patients in intensive care.

So far, 3,765,379 people have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccination and 2,691,775 have received their second dose.

The Scottish Government said Public Health Scotland was aware of an “ongoing delay” in results from the Glasgow Lighthouse laboratory.

The cause of the delay was being investigated but the facility was continuing to issue results as tests were processed.