Covid in Scotland: Highest daily deaths since March

A further 11 Covid deaths have been registered in the last 24 hours in Scotland - the highest since 30 March.

The Scottish government data records deaths registered within 28 days of a positive test.

It also revealed there were 2,636 new virus cases, which is 8.1% of those tested on Tuesday.

Separate weekly figures, which record all death certificates that mention Covid, show there were 30 deaths between 5-11 July.

The National Records of Scotland statistics represent an increase of eight from the previous week.

The daily figures mean that the average number of reported deaths a day is now 4.6 - the highest figure since 2 April.

It brings the total number of deaths under that measure to 7,772.

A Public Health Scotland (PHS) report has also shown that 41 people in Scotland have died with Covid-19, despite having had both doses of a vaccine.

The figures showed the deaths occurred by 7 July among those who had tested positive for the virus two weeks or more after having their second vaccination.

In these cases Covid-19 was recorded as "primary or contributing cause of death", the health body said.

The PHS report noted: "This equates to 0.001% of those who have received two doses of Covid-19 vaccines."

Its latest report on Covid cases in Scotland showed that over the four weeks from 12 June to 9 July, about 65% of those who had a positive PCR test were unvaccinated.

Meanwhile just over half of Covid-19 hospital admissions over the same four-week period were amongst unvaccinated individuals, with 70.6% of this group being aged under 40.

A total of 515 patients are in hospital with recently confirmed Covid, including 46 in intensive care.

While the figures have been rising steadily they remain far below peak of the second wave of the pandemic in January when more than 2,000 people were in hospital.

Earlier this month daily Covid cases, driven by the more infectious Delta variant, surpassed 4,000 for the first time since mass testing began.

The spike came after Public Health Scotland linked hundreds of cases to people travelling to London for Scotland's Euros game with England on 18 June.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed Scotland will move to level zero on Monday but with certain "modifications" to the original plan for easing restrictions.

Face coverings will remain mandatory for "some time", but it is her intention to lift all other restrictions on 9 August as more people will be vaccinated by then.