688 Covid-19 linked deaths in Edinburgh and Lothians but just one more confirmed case of the virus recorded in last 24 hours

The Scottish Government's official statistics now show 2,778 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the region to date, with three less people now in hospital and one less in intensive care compared to yesterday.

Data published on Wednesday by the National Records of Scotland (NRS), which includes deaths where the virus was listed on the person's death certificate, shows 688 Covid-19 related deaths in the NHS Lothian board area as of Sunday, June 7th.

NHS Lothian has the joint third highest Covid-19 related death rate in Scotland - along with Ayrshire and Arran - with 7.6 deaths per 10,000 people in the population.

The recovery room for coronavirus patients at Edinburgh's Royal Infirmary. Picture: Andrew O'Brien.

The highest Covid-19 related death rate is in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, which has 10.8 deaths per 10,000 and a total of 1,283 virus related deaths. Lanarkshire is second for death rate with 8.3 deaths per 10,000 and 552 deaths.

The latest daily official Scottish Government figures, published today, put the death toll for Scotland at 2,434 but the latest NRS data puts it at 4000 as of Sunday.

The NRS figures also say that 47 per cent of all Covid-19 related deaths in Scotland have occured in care homes compared to 46 percent in hospitals.