Covid in Scotland: Infections dip across Scotland but trend 'uncertain'

Covid infections in Scotland fell slightly last week, according to official estimates, but the number in hospital with the virus is at a record high.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) found one in 12 people had Covid in the week ending 26 March.

It amounts to some 451,200 people - down from 473,800 the previous week.

Separate statistics show 2,383 patients were in hospital with Covid on Thursday.

The same number of people were in hospital with a recently-confirmed case of the virus on Monday, but numbers had fallen slightly before rising again.

Medics say the high number of Covid-positive patients is putting huge pressures on hospitals, even though very few are seriously ill. There were 22 Covid patients in intensive care in Scotland on Thursday.

Health boards have reported dealing with record numbers of Covid patients alongside high staff absence rates.

The drop in the infection rate identified by the ONS is the first week-on-week fall after eight successive increases.

The one in 12 estimates published in the latest Coronavirus Infection Survey compare with one in 11 for the week ending 20 March.

Despite soaring rates in England (1 in 13 infected) and Wales (1 in 14) the trend was also deemed "uncertain" in Northern Ireland (1 in 15).

The ONS data is collected from a representative sample of thousands of households across the country and is considered the most reliable measure of the prevalence of the virus in the UK.

Separate statistics from the Scottish government reveal that more than 60,400 new cases were recorded in the seven days to 1 April.

The legal requirement to wear masks in shops and on public transport had been expected to be lifted next week.

But the first minister told MSPs that the changes would now not take effect due to there still being a very high level of infection in Scotland.