70 new coronavirus deaths have been recorded in the last 24 hours across Scotland, the Health Secretary has confirmed.
1,155 new cases of the virus were also recorded overnight, taking the total since the start of the pandemic in March to 177,688.
Currently, there are 1,958 people in hospital being treated for Covid-19, while 144 people remain in intensive care unit across Scotland.
The figures were announced today by health secretary Jeane Freeman.
She revealed that, since the start of March last year, a total of 6,040 people have died of the virus after returning a positive test.
The news comes as a new coronavirus vaccine could be approved for use in the UK in a matter of weeks after trials suggested it was more than 89% effective in preventing the deadly disease.
The UK has so far managed to secure 60 million doses of Novavax which is understood to offer protection against the new variants of the virus from South Africa and Britain.
During trials which involved 15,000 people between 18 and 84 it was shown to be 89.3% effective.
