Scottish Government could follow England in restricting gatherings
Nicola Sturgeon has said she cannot rule out changing the number of people allowed to gather together in Scotland, as has been announced in England.
The First Minister said the average number of daily positive cases has trebled from three weeks ago and the country is "currently at a very dangerous point''.
She told the Scottish Government's coronavirus briefing on Wednesday there were 159 new Covid-19 cases across Scotland in the past 24 hours, taking the total to 21,878.
This represents 1.9% of people newly tested, down from 2.3% on Tuesday
Ms Sturgeon said the increase in cases "could continue and translate into serious illness and death if we are not very careful''.
She said: "We can't rule out the need to make changes to the numbers of people allowed to gather together, like those were announced in England last night.''
"We are carefully reviewing existing guidance and regulation, as well as considering what new steps may be necessary to keep Covid under control.''
The UK Government announced on Tuesday night that social gatherings of more than six people will be banned in England from Monday, with the exception of schools, workplaces or Covid-secure weddings, funerals and organised teams sports.
A maximum of eight people from three households can meet indoors in Scotland, except in areas subject to tighter restrictions, while up to 15 people from five households can meet outside.
Ms Sturgeon said new cases of Covid-19 are being reported in all mainland health board areas and of these new cases, provisional figures indicate 63 are in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 29 in Lothian, 19 in Lanarkshire and 10 in Forth Valley.
The average number of new cases over the past seven days increased to 155 a day, up from 52 three weeks ago, she said, adding: "We have seen roughly a trebling of daily cases over that period.''
No new coronavirus deaths have been reported in Scotland in the past 24 hours, meaning the toll of people who died within 28 days of their first positive Covid-19 test remains at 2,499.
There are 274 people in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, a rise of seven in 24 hours.
Of these patients, six were in intensive care, no change on the previous day.
Meanwhile, the latest statistics from the National Records of Scotland show that up until Sunday September 6 there had been 4,231 deaths when coronavirus was either confirmed or suspected as a contributing factor.
That included two deaths in the most recent week, Ms Sturgeon said.
She added: "For the first time since the start of the pandemic there were no Covid deaths registered at all last week.''
She said this is "positive news'' but "not a cause for complacency''.
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