Coronavirus update: Grampian and Highland cases double in 24 hour period
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Scotland saw a further fall in positive cases overnight as a total of 1656 cases were recorded in the last 24 hours compared to 1165 the previous day.
This equated to 7.5 per cent of those tested (11.1 the previous day).
A further 92 deaths were noted in the last 24 hours with Covid as a contributing factor.
The NHS Greater Glasgow area saw 512 cases (345), Lanarkshire 255 (178) and Lothian 151 (142).
NHS Grampian saw cases almost double to 152 (86) while NHS Highland's did double rising to 44 (22).
The NHS Grampian area recorded 1037 cases in the last seven days taking the overall total to 11,492.
Public Health Scotland's most up to date figures cover the seven days between January 1 and January 17 show Aberdeenshire recorded 369 positive cases (down from 385 the previous day) which equated to 7.5 per cent of all tests carried out (down from 7.7 per cent) and a positive test rate per 100,000 population of 141.3 (down from 147.8).
For the same time period, Aberdeen City saw 528 cases (down from 535) equating to 10.4 per cent of all tests (up from 10.2) and positive test rate of 230.9 per 100,000 (down from 234.0).
In the daily area figures the sustained fall in cases continued to be seen in most areas across Aberdeenshire however levels remain higher in Longside, Blackburn, Kemany, Aboyne, South Mearns and Stonehaven.
Speaking to parliament today, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon emphasised the situation facing the NHS: "Hospital admissions are 30per cent higher now than at the peak of the first wave last April. "And while admissions to intensive care are below the first wave peak they have almost doubled since the turn of the year.
"All of this means that our NHS is under severe pressure.
"And given the number of new cases over the past couple of weeks that pressure is almost certain to increase.
"It is therefore vital that we do everything we can to protect our NHS – by slowing the spread of the virus and bringing case numbers down.
"That’s why we confirmed that lockdown restrictions will remain in place until at least the middle of February.
"And of course it's why it is so important that all of us continue to comply with them."
