The Scottish Government have confirmed nine people have died from coronavirus in the last 24 hours.
It brings the death toll since last March – of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days – to 9,771.
The latest figures for Scotland showed 5,917 new cases had also been identified overnight.
The total number of positive cases since the pandemic started now stands at 788,156.
There are currently 494 people in hospital confirmed to have the virus with 34 being treated in intensive care.
4,369,398 people have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccination, 3,988,961 their second dose and 2,436,952 have been given a third dose or booster.
The figures come after a Scots university expert said the best way to stop the spread of the new Omicron variant of covid would be to have a circuit-breaker lockdown before Christmas.
Stephen Reicher, professor of social psychology at the University of St Andrews and member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said it was clear that Plan B measures alone would not be enough to stop the spiralling numbers of cases.
Prof Reicher, who was speaking to Times Radio in a personal capacity, said the time to act was now amid reports that officials have been drawing up draft plans for a two-week circuit-breaker lockdown after Christmas.
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