Six more patients die from coronavirus in Scotland

Another six people have died from coronavirus overnight, the Scottish Government has confirmed.

It brings the Scottish death toll from Covid-19 to 47.

The number of confirmed positive cases in Scotland stands at 1563 – up 179 from Sunday.

However, the chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood repeated her assertion that the number of cases was a “very significant underestimate”.

A total of 108 patients are currently in intensive care, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said during a briefing in Edinburgh.

She also said a number of screening programmes were being suspended to ease pressure on the NHS.

The pause on breast, bowel and cervical tests will be reviewed in 12 weeks. However, Dr Calderwood said anyone with worrying symptoms should still contact their GP and would be seen as soon as possible.

Sturgeon said the decision “was not taken lightly” and was based on recommendations from the chief medical officer Dr Calderwood and NHS National Services Scotland.

The First Minister said the move would “maximise the ability of the NHS to cope in the coming weeks”.

Dr Calderwood said screening for pregnant women and for newborn babies would continue as normal.