Covid-19 cases in Scotland are the highest they have been since last summer – with figures showing one in 25 Scots are believed to have had the virus.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated that the number of people testing positive for Covid-19 in the week ending December 28 increased to 213,100.
That represents 4.05% of the population – up from 2.49% the previous week.
Levels are now at the highest they have been since July 2022, according to the ONS.
It means Scotland is currently believed to have the lowest levels of Covid-19 in the UK – with the latest ONS coronavirus infection survey estimating one in 20 people in England to be infected, as well as one in 18 people in Wales in the week ending December 28.
In Northern Ireland, the data showed one in 16 people had tested positive – but this was for the week ending December 22.
It comes amid a rising number of people also down with influenza, heightening pressure on NHS boards already stretched beyond their limits.
Public Health Scotland (PHS) raised the incidence of flu from “high” to “extraordinary” activity level last month, with the rate of hospitalizations rising to 7.5 patients per 100,000.
Michelle Bowen, head of health surveillance dissemination and strategy for the ONS said: “Infections have risen across the whole of the UK.
“In England, Wales and Scotland, cases are at the highest they have been since July 2022, and the highest they have been since March 2022 in Northern Ireland.”
She added that the organisation would “continue to monitor the data closely”.
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