Scotland records 78 more coronavirus deaths in 24 hours

Scotland has recorded 78 deaths of coronavirus patients and 2,649 new cases in the past 24-hour period, according to official figures.

The death toll under this measure – of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days – is now 4,779.

Scottish Government statistics indicate the daily test positivity rate is 11.3%, up from 10.5% on Wednesday when 2,039 positive cases were recorded.

A total of 143,715 people have tested positive in Scotland since the start of the pandemic.

There are 1,467 people in hospital confirmed to have Covid-19, up 83 from 1,384 in 24 hours.

Of these patients, 100 are in intensive care – up by five on the previous day.

There were a further 660 confirmed cases in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, with 389 in NHS Lanarkshire and 357 in NHS Lothian.

It comes as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said more than 1,100 vaccination sites would be operational across Scotland next week.

Most of these will be GP practices and community premises.

She added that daily numbers of people receiving a jab would be published Monday to Friday from next week.