Coronavirus in Scotland: Nicola Sturgeon confirms another 146 cases

The new cases represent 2.4% of newly tested individuals and bring the total to 21,543.

Some 256 people were last night in hospital with Covid-19, an increase of 12 on yesterday’s figures.

Of those, five were in intensive care, up by one.

No deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours among confirmed coronavirus patients, meaning the total remains 2496.

The First Minister, speaking at the Scottish Government’s briefing, said: “That figure reminds us of the impact the virus has had, and again I want to send condolences to everyone who is grieving a loved one.”

Of the new cases, provisional figures suggest 78 were in Glasgow and Greater Clyde, 19 were in Lanarkshire, 13 in Lothian and nine in Ayrshire and Arran.

The remaining cases are spread across 6 different health boards.

READ MORE: ‘Coronavirus calculator’ identifies Scottish areas most likely to become new hotspot

With cases of coronavirus increasing, Sturgeon said Scotland was at a "key moment" in the fight against the disease. And she warned that action was needed if the country was to avoid a second national lockdown.

Her comments came after yesterday’s figures showed 208 positive cases were recorded in the previous 24 hours in Scotland.

The First Minister said that six weeks ago the average number of cases being reported was just 14 per day, but this has risen to 152 daily over the last seven days.

The percentage of Scots confirmed with the disease has also risen from less than 1% two weeks ago to 2.4% today.

"We have a very definite trend at the moment," Sturgeon said. "In some ways it shouldn't surprise us, in recent weeks we have opened up most of our economy. But as we have released ourselves from lockdown we have also released the virus from lockdown.

"We must take this trend seriously and if we want to avoid having to close parts of our economy down again, and I think we all want to avoid that, we must step up our other ways of keeping Covid under control.

"This really is a key moment, and I want therefore to be pretty frank with you in my assessment today."

The FM said she would "be frank about the reasons why we can't afford to slip into complacency about the things we need to do to try to keep the situation under control".

The last time more than 200 cases were reported in a single day was May 8 – but Sturgeon pointed out "important differences" between the situation now and then.

She said a lower proportion of those being tested were now confirmed as having coronavirus, adding that earlier in the year the daily case numbers were "probably more of an under-estimate" than they are now, with more people now being tested.

The SNP leader added that on May 8 there were 75 people in intensive care with coronavirus and more than 1000 people in hospital with the disease – significantly higher than the totals now.

Sturgeon said "generally" higher numbers of cases were not being reflected in a "significant increase" in hospital admissions. This may "partly reflect the fact that right now younger people make up a higher percentage of positive cases,” she explained.

The FM continued: "The view that I hear more often these days, that because of these differences we no longer need to worry and that continued restrictions are an over-reaction, is in my view dangerous."

She stressed "we really must take this very seriously", saying even for younger people Covid-19 could be a "really nasty disease".

Sturgeon added: "If transmission takes hold again, even if it starts in the younger, healthier part of the population, which it appears to be doing, because younger people are interacting more, it won't necessarily stay in that part of the population.

"It will eventually seep into older and more vulnerable groups. To be blunt some young people will go on to infect their older friends or relatives.”

"And it is at that point we could see again more deaths and serious illnesses happen."

Sturgeon said there was already "some evidence" this was happening in France.