More younger people are being admitted to Intensive Care at Forth Valley Royal Hospital with coronavirus.
A number of patients in their 30s and 40s are now needing specialist treatment after contracting Covid-19 during this wave of the pandemic.
It's prompted a stark warning from those being cared for in ICU for others to start taking coronavirus seriously and stick to lockdown rules.
Richard Linning, 35, from Stenhousemuir is one of a number of younger patients currently being treated for Covid-19 within Intensive Care.
He said: "The virus is out there, it’s transmittable and it’s deadly.
"Please take it seriously, listen to the advice, follow the rules and do what you can to protect yourself."
Ralph Rindfleisch, 71, from Tullibody, who was taken to hospital by ambulance after he collapsed at home, said: "I have no idea how I caught it and I tried to be sensible with cleaning, washing and making sure people didn’t come to the house.
"Surely after nearly a year you would think the penny must have dropped but people must take this more seriously."
Ralph added it was difficult not having visitors, but said he is managing to keep in touch with his family regularly via telephone and video calls.
Health bosses say the hospital is very busy with 150 currently admitted to the Larbert hospital.
Up to 100 swabs a day across Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire are coming back with a positive result.
Heather Riddoch, ICU Senior Charge Nurse, said: "Forth Valley Royal Hospital is very busy
treating patients with Covid-19 and a wide range of other health conditions.
"Covid-19 is very unpredictable and people can become unwell very quickly so we have adapted our ICU so that it is able to meet the changing needs of patients during the ongoing pandemic.
