NHS Highland region's Covid-19 total increases by 81 following latest update; it means the area recorded 746 positive tests for the coronavirus in December

EIGHTY-one new Covid-19 cases have been recorded across the NHS Highland area – meaning that almost 750 positive tests were recorded in December.

The region’s cumulative number of cases since the start of the pandemic rose to 2172 when the latest daily update was published on Hogmanay.

It means that one-third of all confirmed cases recorded in NHS Highland since the start of the pandemic were detected in just the last month.

Across Scotland, some 2622 new cases of Covid-19 were detected in the past 24 hours – a new daily record, and the third time this has happened in as many days.

Some 1174 people were receiving treatment for the virus in Scotland’s hospitals last night, a rise of 41 since yesterday.

Of those, 70 were in intensive care – up one on Wednesday’s figure.

And sadly another 68 people who previously tested positive for the virus have died.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the north of Scotland, NHS Orkney was once again the only health board not to register new cases.

NHS Shetland’s recent cluster of cases continued overnight, with a further 16 infections recorded – for an overall total of 128 since the start of the pandemic.

And NHS Eileanan Siar detected one new infection.

NHS Grampian’s cumulative number of cases jumped by 260 in the past 24 hours, rising to 7870 overall.

And NHS Tayside posted 236 positive tests, for a overall tally of 8300.

Scotland has now had 127,453 positive tests since the start of the pandemic.

Because of the New Year bank holidays, the next daily Covid update from Public Health Scotland will not take place until January 5.

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