A record 123 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the NHS Lanarkshire area today – more than twice the highest number for a single day during the springtime peak of the pandemic.
Nicola Sturgeon confirmed the figures at First Minister's Questions this afternoon, and announced that any further changes to Covid-19 restrictions previously given an indicative date of this Monday would be postponed.
Today is only the second day in which more than 100 positive cases have been confirmed in Lanarkshire; the previous record was the 107 new cases announced on September 23.
At the peak of the crisis in the spring, 61 cases were confirmed on April 18 – a record that stood for almost five months but which has now been broken five times in less than three weeks, rising from 62 on September 13.
In total, 1415 positive coronavirus tests were confirmed across Lanarkshire in September, accounting for almost a third of the 4498 cases confirmed in the health board area since the first positive test was announced in March.
Last week, a record 522 cases were confirmed in the region with a further 324 having been announced already this week; the 123 cases announced today were determined from 43 tests taken yesterday, 79 on Tuesday and one last Thursday, September 24.
Only the Greater Glasgow & Clyde and Lothian health board areas saw more new confirmed cases of coronavirus today than Lanarkshire with 244 and 166 respectively.
Across Scotland, 688 positive cases and three deaths were confirmed by the First Minister today.
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No new deaths were recorded in Lanarkshire – however, 10 people died from coronavirus in the county during in September, after more than two months without a fatality due to Covid-19.
In total, 363 people have died from coronavirus in Lanarkshire.
