NHS Highland area reports seven further positive tests for Covid-19; increase in cases came as Scotland recorded 640 new coronavirus infections

SEVEN more people have tested positive for the coronavirus in the NHS Highland area.

The cumulative number of cases reported in the region since the start of the pandemic rose to 653 from 646 when the latest daily update was published by the Scottish Government at 2pm.

There were 640 new cases of Covid-19 confirmed across Scotland in the past 24 hours.

The number of people in Scottish hospitals receiving treatment for the virus continued its recent increase, rising from 123 to 137 overnight. Of those, 15 were in intensive care.

Sadly, seven more people who tested positive for the virus have since died – the biggest daily increase in the Scottish death toll since mid-June. During today's televised briefing, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the rise in deaths was a "sharp reminder" of how dangerous the virus can be, and urged the public to follow social distancing rules to help minimise its spread.

Elsewhere in the north of Scotland, NHS Eileanan Siar's recent cluster of cases continued, with two new positive tests recorded since yesterday. It has now had 30 confirmed infections since the start of the pandemic. But NHS Shetland and NHS Orkney both reported no fresh diagnoses in the past 24 hours.

NHS Grampian, meanwhile, reported another 38 positive tests to take its cumulative total to 2313.

And NHS Tayside added 32 further infections, for an overall tally of 2515.

There have now been 29,244 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Scotland since the pandemic began.

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