Coronavirus update: Spike in NHS Grampian case numbers
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In Scotland in the last 24 hours there have been a total of 880 positive cases which equates to 6.8 per cent of those tested overall.
NHS Greater Glasgow saw 260 cases, Lanarkshire 190, 122 in Grampian and 94 in Lothian.
A total of 44 deaths were also recorded in Scotland with Covid-19 as a contributing factor in the last 24 hours.
Speaking at the daily briefing, clinical director Jason Leitch said: "I noticed the Grampian figures when they came in this morning, they are up to122 today and the positivity rate is up to 6.5 per cent."
But he stressed: "It's a single day - so it is important not to over or under react to that and Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire do appear over a seven day period to have flattened.
"There are some food processing outbreaks that are being very well handled by the local public health community and the owners.
"That will inevitably just kick those numbers up.
"What we need to discuss with the director of Public Health is community transmission versus outbreak and we will continue to do that."
In the seven days to November 21, there were 165 cases in Aberdeenshire (63.2 per 100,000) and 132 in Aberdeen City (57.7 per 100,000).
Aberdeenshire overall cases for the seven day period are expected to rise as the daily case number statistics are incorporated into the wider seven day figures which run two days behind.
Following the announcement of changes for Christmas made yesterday First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "We will be publishing more guidance this week about Christmas arrangements.
"For a five day window over Christmas we will relax slightly the current rules on households meeting and travel.
"But if you feel it is necessary you can form a bubble of up to three households, but you cannot form with others.
"As with most decisions, some will think it is reasonable, some to far and others not enough.
"That reflects the reality of what we are dealing with is not straightforward.
"We are trying to balance all kinds of factors and on this occasion we are trying to reflect a reality that sticking to rules over Christmas is something that people will not do.
"So we have set boundaries for people to work within, but not withstanding that, it does not mean we are encouraging people to get together, it does not mean that you have to do it nor to the maximum permitted.
"We are relying on people to make informed choices.
"The virus will not go away by Chirstmas and after eight months of sacrifice, is it a risk we want to take?".
