Coronavirus: Three deaths and 668 new cases in Scotland

Three more people have died with coronavirus in Scotland while 668 new cases have been confirmed in the country.

It takes total deaths to ten this week, with the death toll among confirmed Covid-19 patients now at 2522.

Counting weekly Covid deaths which include people suspected to have died with the virus, or who tested positive for coronavirus more than 28 days before their death, the death toll is now 4267.

Thursday’s 668 new cases amount to 10.8% of newly-tested Scots.

Of the new infections, 244 are in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 166 are in the Lothian area and 123 are in Lanarkshire.

There are 154 people in hospital confirmed to have the virus, up by 15 in 24 hours.

Of these patients, 17 were in intensive care, up two from the previous day.

Addressing MSPs on the pandemic before First Minister’s Questions, Nicola Sturgeon highlighted that the numbers in hospital with Covid have risen by 70 in the last seven days.

As a result of rising cases, the First Minister confirmed that changes to the Scottish Government’s route map out of lockdown planned for October 5 have been postponed.

The changes would impact adult access to indoor sports facilities, soft play areas, certain live events and sports stadiums.

Sturgeon said the potential easing of those measures, which had already been pushed back from September 14, will be reviewed again on October 15.

She told MSPs: “We are postponing the routemap changes for which we had previously given an indicative date of October 5.

“I hope members will agree that it would not be sensible to ease restrictions that are still in place while infection rates are rising and we are working to bring them back down.

“We will review these restrictions again by October 15.

“However, if we need to take further action before that to curb the spread of the virus we will not hesitate to do so, but of course we will report that to parliament.”