Covid Scotland: Nicola Sturgeon says coronavirus cases may be 'leveling off' as 2,802 cases announced

The 2,802 positive cases represents 8% of all the tests carried out in Scotland.

The news comes as today’s reported figure represents 1,432 fewer cases than were reported on this day last week.

The total number of confirmed cases now stands at 306,449.

A total of 401 people are in hospital with recently confirmed Covid-19, up 14 in 24 hours, with 38 patients in intensive care, up 4.

Sadly four further deaths were reported over the past 24 hours, taking the total number of deaths registered under the daily definition to 7,744.

As of this morning, 3,900,864 people had received a first dose of vaccine – an increase of 10, 688 since yesterday.

In addition, 16,984 people got their second dose – bringing the total number of second doses to 2,825,886.

Speaking at the briefing on Thursday, Nicola Sturgeon said: “As you can see from these numbers, the vaccine programme continues to make really good progress and that should make us optimistic.

"For now, though, that optimism needs to be balanced by concern at the high case numbers recently – a pattern that is increasingly evident in other countries as well.”

However the First Minister also mentioned that we can see a ‘levelling off’ of covid figures.

She said: “While there will always be daily fluctuations as we can see – and that’s why we look most closely at seven day averages – looking at the figures reported over the past few days we can see the suggestion that the recent surge in cases may be, to some extent, levelling off now.”

Ms Sturgeon said this is ‘encouraging news’, however added that case numbers remain high and that is ‘a worry.’

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