Three further positive tests for coronavirus recorded in NHS Highland area, taking the region's overall total of Covid-19 diagnoses to 331; comes as Scotland recorded 143 new cases

THREE further cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in the NHS Highland area since yesterday.

The number of confirmed Covid-19 diagnoses in the region now stands at 331.

News of the slight rise came as the number of positive tests across Scotland as a whole increased by 143. There have now been 14,260 confirmed Covid-19 tests since the pandemic began.

Forty-six further people who tested positive have also sadly lost their lives, with the cumulative death toll rising to 2053 on Friday.

But the number of patients with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infection continued to fall. There were 1449 people being treated in the country's hospitals last night – down from 1480 the previous day.

Elsewhere across the north of Scotland, the recent run of days without new positive tests on the Northern Isles and Outer Hebrides continued once again.

NHS Grampian also recorded just 10 new positives, taking its overall total to 1152. Its hospitals also experience a small fall in the number of Covid-19 patients and those receiving intensive care treatment – down from 98 to 96, and from 11 to eight respectively.

NHS Tayside, meanwhile, recorded 15 new positive tests, to take its tally to 1555. But it too saw a slight fall in Covid-19 hospital patients – down two to 23.

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