First Minister says coronavirus 'R' number is around one but cases must come down further

Nicola Sturgeon has warned Covid-19 cases must go into decline and not just level off as she revealed the R number in Scotland is "hovering around one''.

The First Minister said the reduction in the number, which measures the average number of people infected by each person with coronavirus, is "clearly progress on the last couple of weeks''.

But she stressed "we have to continue to be careful and cautious'' as Scotland approaches its first review of the new five-tier approach to coronavirus restrictions on Tuesday.

Speaking ahead of First Minister's Questions at Holyrood on Thursday, she said: "With some other indicators, that does suggest that the tough measures that have been in place in recent weeks - and the compliance of the public with those measures - is starting to have an effect.''

Ms Sturgeon said countries such as France and Spain have had a rise in cases followed by a flattening off, only for this to be followed by another rises in coronavirus infections.

"We have to be cautious of that here,'' she said.

"It is not enough for us as we head into winter simply to see a levelling off or a slowing down in the rise of cases - that is what an R number slightly above 1 would deliver.''

She added: "What we want to see going into winter to protect the country, to protect the NHS and to save lives, is a reduction in the number of cases.''

Ms Sturgeon said Scotland has recorded 39 coronavirus deaths and 1,216 positive tests have been recorded in the past 24 hours.

This takes the death toll under this measure - of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days - to 2,966.

The daily test positivity rate is 7.6%, down from 7.9% on Wednesday.

Of the new cases, 481 are in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 236 in Lanarkshire, 128 in Lothian, and 80 in Ayrshire and Arran. The rest are spread across the country.

There are 1,252 people in hospital confirmed to have the virus, down five in 24 hours.

Of these patients, 95 are in intensive care, up one.

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