Coronavirus: No new Covid deaths in 24 hours in Scotland

No new deaths to coronavirus have been registered in Scotland in the past 24 hours for the first time since the early days of the pandemic.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman cautioned that fewer deaths were recorded at weekends, and warned further deaths were "still likely".

Latest Scottish government figures show 15,621 people have tested positive for Covid-19.

This was an increase of 18 from Saturday.

Because no additional people who tested positive have died, the total number of deaths in Scotland by this measure has remained at 2,415.

There has been no change in the numbers of people in hospital with a confirmed case - 646, with 16 being treated in intensive care. A further nine people were in intensive care with suspected Covid-19.

Since 5 March, 3,801 people have been discharged from hospital after receiving treatment for the virus.

Speaking at the government's coronavirus briefing, Ms Freeman said zero deaths in 24 hours was "one piece of positive news", but urged people not to read too much into the figure and to continue to abide by lockdown restrictions.

She said Scotland had made progress, but that the progress was "fragile".

Ms Freeman said: "We are not in the business of rushing out announcements on the back of albeit a piece of positive news, but a one-off piece of positive news in the context of the weekend when we know the number of registered deaths are lower than in a week day.

"I want to be here on many more days where either I or the first minister are giving those kinds of numbers, but for us to get there we need to stick with the measures that are in place."

Ms Freeman said the numbers she read out were not "simply statistics".

She said: "Every one of those 2,415 people who have died was an individual whose loss is a source of grief and sorrow to very many.

"So I want to send my deepest condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one."