Coronavirus in Scotland: 322 new cases recorded in Lothians as new variant responsible for half of reported cases

A total of 322 cases of coronavirus have been recorded in the Lothians in the past 24 hours as the First Minister reveals today that the new strain is responsible for half of the new cases recorded in Scotland.

A total of 2,529 new Covid-19 cases have been reported across Scotland in the past 24 hours.

This takes the total number of recorded cases in Scotland to 139,027.

The new cases represent 14.8% of the total number of tests.

322 of new cases were reported in Lothian, 695 in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 388 in Lanarkshire and 210 in Tayside, with the remaining cases spread across the remaining health board areas.

Speaking about the impact of the new variant at her briefing today, FM Nicola Sturgeon said: "The new variant is now responsible for around 50% of new cases of Scotland and that is a proportion that is rising.”

A total of 11 deaths have also been recorded in the past 24 hours with Ms Sturgeon noting that yesterday was a Bank Holiday so could lead to this recording being ‘artificially low.’

The total number of deaths is now 4,633.

Quiet Rose Street in Edinburgh as people stay home under new lockdown travel restrictions (Photo: Katielee Arrowsmith SWNS).

1,347 people are currently in hospital, 255 more people in hospital since last week.

93 people are in intensive care, 28 more than a week ago today.

A raft of tighter restrictions came into affect across all Level 4 areas in Scotland as of midnight last night.

Updating MSPs in Holyrood on Monday, the First Minister announced a lockdown would be in effect in mainland Scotland until at least the end of January in a bid to combat further spread of the new coronavirus strain.

Tweeting after the lockdown announcement, Nicola Sturgeon said: “Being back in lockdown is really hard to take for everyone, but it is necessary to slow down this new strain of the virus while we get people vaccinated.

"Please - for you own safety, that of your loved ones and of the whole country: Stay at Home, Protect the NHS and Save Lives.”

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