ANOTHER 19 people have died in Scotland after contracting coronavirus, the Government has announced.
The deaths, among people who tested positive in the previous 28 days, bring the total under that measurement to 7791.
It is the highest number of daily deaths since March.
However, the number of cases, as well as the infection rate, is continuing on a downward trend.
A further 2086 cases were recorded in the past 24 hours, with a positivity rate of 6.6%.
Some 543 people were in hospital yesterday with recently confirmed Covid-19, up 28 in 24 hours.
Of these, 47 were in intensive care, an increase of one.
The last time Scotland recorded this many deaths was March 11, when 22 were registered.
A total of 3,956,549 people have received the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccination and 2,927,130 have received their second dose.
Responding to the latest figures, Nicola Sturgeon urged Scots to stick to the rules.
Covid cases in 🏴 are on a downward path just now - which is good. To keep it this way, please continue to get vaccinated asap, stick to the rules still in place eg limits on meeting up with others, face masks etc, and follow health advice on eg hand washing, ventilation https://t.co/jTDUIvElnT
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) July 15, 2021
She tweeted: "Covid cases in [Scotland] are on a downward path just now – which is good.
"To keep it this way, please continue to get vaccinated asap, stick to the rules still in place eg limits on meeting up with others, face masks etc, and follow health advice on eg hand washing, ventilation.”
Nicola Sturgeon confirmed the country is set to move to Level 0 of the five-tier system on Monday, but restrictions will continue on physical distancing and numbers meeting both indoors and outdoors.
The First Minister said face coverings will remain mandatory for "some time to come", while social distancing is set to be reduced to one metre inside public places.
Indoor gathering restrictions in homes will be lifted to allow up to eight people from up to four households to meet, while a group of up to 10 can meet inside a pub or restaurant.
Some physical distancing rules are to be maintained outdoors, and the 11pm closure time for pubs operating indoors will be changed to midnight - a change from original plans to scrap the limit entirely.
The planned "gradual return to the office" will also be postponed until August 9, when Scotland plans to move beyond Level 0.
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