Scotland records 1398 new Covid cases and 13 deaths

Just over four million people have now received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

Scotland records 1398 new Covid cases and 13 deaths iStock

Scotland has recorded 1398 new cases of coronavirus and 13 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Official statistics published on Thursday also indicate that there were 490 people in hospital with the virus, with 60 people in intensive care.

Just over four million people have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, whilst around 3.1 million have had their second dose.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon earlier this week that there are “grounds for optimism” that the country can continue to progress out of restrictions.

The SNP leader will announce next week whether Scotland will be able to progress with the easing of lockdown measures, with a date of August 9 having been set for the lifting of most legal restrictions.

Speaking at the Scottish Government’s coronavirus briefing on Tuesday, she said: “What we’ll be doing between now and then is weighing up the different factors that will inform that decision.

“Several of these factors give us really strong grounds for hope and that is positive, although others remind us for the need of continued caution.

“There is no doubt we are in a much better place than we were last March, at the start of the pandemic, or at the beginning of this year, or even at the start of this month.

“In short, we have seen some very positive developments recently, and that does give us grounds for optimism that we will be able to continue progress, out of restrictions.

“That said, we do still need to be cautious.”

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