Three new Covid-19 coronavirus cases confirmed in the Highlands, but numbers in hospital fell; mirroring a similar fall across Scotland as a whole

THREE new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in the NHS Highland area, taking the overall total to 214.

It came as Scotland recorded another 371 cases, taking the overall number since the outbreak began to 9409. Sadly the death toll also rose another 58, to take the number of confirmed Scottish fatalities to 1120.

But there has been a drop in the number of people receiving treatment in hospital for confirmed or suspected coronavirus. In the Highlands there were 56 people in the region's hospitals with the condition last night ­– down from 68 the day before – and the number of patients in intensive care dropped below five.

Those numbers mirrored the national figures, with the number of people across Scotland receiving treatment falling from 1776 yesterday to 1748 today. Intensive care numbers were also down by seven to 148.

Elsewhere in the north, there were no new cases of Covid-19 in Shetland, Orkney or Eileanan Siar.

NHS Grampian, meanwhile, recorded a further 52 cases, to take its overall total above 600 (to 602). The number of people in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19 also increased to more than 100 (up 11 on yesterday's total of 91) and those in intensive care increased from eight to 12.

NHS Tayside recorded a further 35 Covid-19 cases, and saw the number of people receiving hospital treatment rise by seven to 97 – although those receiving intensive care fell from seven to six.

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