The number of coronavirus patients being treated in Ayrshire hospitals has hit a seven-month low.
New data published this afternoon by the Scottish Government shows that for the first time since September 29 last year, fewer than five people with confirmed COVID-19 are in the region's hospitals.
The encouraging news comes as a further 17 cases of the disease were reported in Ayrshire in the last 24 hours.
In terms of Public Health Scotland's rolling seven-day infection rate per 100,000 population, North Lanarkshire has the highest rate in the country – at 55.4 as of Tuesday, April 27.
South Ayrshire has the second-highest infection rate in the country (43.5) while East Ayrshire has the third-highest of 43.4. North Ayrshire's rate sits at 21.5.
7-day infection rate per 100,000 population for each council area...
0.0 Shetland Islands / Na h-Eileanan Siar
0.9 Scottish Borders
2.2 Midlothian
2.6 Angus
4.5 Orkney Islands
7.2 Highland
7.3 Aberdeenshire
8.2 Argyll & Bute
11.7 Stirling
12.1 East Lothian
15.3 Aberdeen City
15.4 Inverclyde
16.7 East Renfrewshire
18.0 West Lothian
18.1 Dumfries & Galloway
21.5 North Ayrshire
24.1 Dundee City
24.6 South Lanarkshire
26.1 City of Edinburgh
26.2 Renfrewshire
28.0 Falkirk
30.4 West Dunbartonshire
31.0 Clackmannanshire
31.6 Perth & Kinross
31.9 Fife
39.0 Glasgow City
40.5 East Dunbartonshire
40.7 Moray
43.4 East Ayrshire
43.5 South Ayrshire
55.4 North Lanarkshire
Nationally, 204 new cases of the disease and one Covid death have been recorded in the last 24 hours.
There are currently 75 patients in Scottish hospitals; 12 in intensive care.
Latest figures for Scotland's vaccination programme show 2,789,978 people have received the first dose of the vaccine and 1,142,947 have received their second dose.
Scotland's death toll from the virus stands at 7,654 although 10,078 deaths have been registered in which COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate up to Sunday, April 25.
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