Highland Covid-19 numbers rise by six to 242

SIX new coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the NHS Highland area, taking the region's tally to 242.

But one less patient is now receiving treatment in hospital for suspected Covid-19, after the number dropped to 42 last night.

The increase in NHS Highland infections comes against a backdrop of a Scotland-wide rise of 319 since yesterday, taking the national total to 11,353, although the true number is expected to be much higher.

A further 60 deaths have been recorded among confirmed coronavirus cases in Scotland, taking the total since the outbreak began to 1475.

The number of people being treated in the nation's hospitals for the virus was also up 21 to 1748, although there were fewer patients in intensive care (down five to 109).

Elsewhere in the north of Scotland, there were once again no new cases of the virus recorded in Orkney, Shetland or the Western Isles.

NHS Grampian had 21 new diagnoses. Its total number of cases since the start of the outbreak is 834. Its hospitals were also treating 119 confirmed and suspected cases of the virus at midnight last night, up 15 since yesterday, although the number of people in intensive care remained flat at 10.

• Care home deaths now account for almost 40 per cent of all coronavirus fatalities in Scotland

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