SCOTLAND recorded its highest daily number of coronavirus deaths yesterday, as the second wave continues to batter the country.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said yesterday that 93 virus-related deaths had been recorded in the past 24 hours – more than the previous daily high of 84.

Across all four nations, the daily coronavirus death toll reached a record high of 1325, passing its April peak for the first time.

Speaking during the Scottish Government’s daily coronavirus briefing, Sturgeon said the high death toll would “undoubtedly include some people who died over the Christmas and New Year period and the delay in registration because of the bank holidays means that their deaths are only being reported today.”

The First Minister also warned that the NHS is coming under increased pressure. She said further restrictions may be necessary, if the situation doesn’t improve.

Sturgeon said there was severe pressure on the NHS. There are now 1530 people currently receiving in-patient care due to Covid-19 – which is 63 more than the figure for Thursday and exceeds the peak of 1520 recorded in April.

Of the patients in hospital, 102 are in intensive care – up by two on Thursday.

There were a further 692 confirmed cases in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, with 390 in NHS Lanarkshire and 220 in NHS Lothian.

“That really does underline the severity of the pressure that our hospitals are currently facing,” Sturgeon said.

She added: “To be clear, that is not more than 90 people who died yesterday. It will be people who have died over a period of time.

“That does not change the fact they are all individuals who have died and have died of Covid.”

Stricter measures could include closing takeaway cafes, banning click and collect shopping, and an end to non-essential construction work.

Sturgeon said: “Every single one of us must play our part in slowing down the spread of this virus – reducing the number of people who get infected – while the vaccination programme starts to have an impact. And the best way of doing that is to stick to the new lockdown rules.

“A message again to employers – if your staff were working from home in the lockdown last spring, they should be working from home now and please make sure that they are enabled to do so.

“Fundamentally the best means right now of protecting ourselves and those we love is not to go out unless we have an essential reason to do that.

“Staying at home is how we stay safe and protect our loved ones and our communities, and give the country time to get the vaccination programme motoring in the way that we intend it to do.”

Earlier on Friday, interim deputy chief medical officer Dr Dave Caesar was optimistic.

“Our case numbers are high, they’re not as high as they could have been if we hadn’t taken the measures that we undertook from Boxing Day,” Dr Caesar told the BBC.

“Our health system is under serious pressure but is coping.

“I hate to say it, but it could have been worse by this time in January. We’re not out of the woods yet by any stretch of the imagination, but I suppose we’re holding our own in very significantly challenging circumstances.”

A further 2309 new cases of the virus were confirmed in the previous 24 hours.