Covid Scotland: New record as Covid hospitalisations rise again

The number of people in hospital with Covid in Scotland has risen again to the highest on record.

A total of 2,360 people were reported in hospital with the virus on Monday, an increase of 47 from the previous day.

The Scottish Government said the figure fell over the weekend, from 2,326 reported on Friday to 2,313 on Sunday.

Some 7,429 new cases of Covid were reported on Monday.

Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

The number of patients with Covid in intensive care remains low, at 21. This has fallen since the 28 reported on Friday.

No new deaths were recorded, as register offices are generally closed over the weekend.

It comes after record levels of infection were reported on Friday.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated that one in 11 people in Scotland had Covid in the week ending March 20.

On Thursday, health secretary, Humza Yousaf, warned MSPs that modelling showed the rising numbers of Covid patients in hospitals could continue “over the next couple or few weeks”

The dominance of the highly transmissible Omicron BA2 subvariant is the reason for this “unprecedented pressure” this brings, he said.

Health boards across the country have said they are facing the worst conditions ever experienced. NHS Lanarkshire issued a fresh plea on Friday for people not to come to Accident and Emergency departments unless their condition is life-threatening.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Government’s daily statistics showed 4,352,430 people have received their first dose of coronavirus vaccine while 4,092,082 have had two doses and 3,449,125 have received a third dose or booster jab.

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