NHS Ayrshire and Arran ranked seventh on the list of the 20 worst-hit Covid regions in Europe this week, according to World Health Organisation figures.
A seven per cent rise in the rate of cases per 100,000 saw the area rise one place in the Euro table of doom from last week's count.
Data shows it took the board area to seventh worst affected area in Europe — table-toppers were NHS Lanarkshire and second-placed NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
Ayrshire's seven-day case incidence in the board area stood at 722 per 100,000 people on September 4, with 2625 cases in the previous week.
Rankings for the WHO's European Covid-19 table in the 'Subnational regions', are based on Covid infections per 100,000 people.
The figure in NHS Ayrshire & Arran stood at 668 on August 29, making it Europe's eighth hardest-hit area in the top ten at that point.
Israel, the Swiss district of Appenzell Innerrhoden and the former Yugoslav republic of Montenegro also feature in the top slots — otherwise occupied by Scots' health board areas — in the latest figures.
NHS Ayrshire & Arran announced early last month that they would suspend non-emergency surgery until the end of August because of the impact of the spike in coronavirus cases.
They were one of four Scots' health boards who made the move to suspend elective procedures.
Health bosses in Ayrshire suspended visits to Ayr and Crosshouse and Ayr on Friday
And earlier this week, NHS Ayrshire & Arran's medical director Dr Crawford McGuffie told how operations had now resumed but at "reduced capacity".
He said that Crosshouse and Ayr hospitals had faced "cumulative pressures" and added: "NHS Ayrshire & Arran continues to experience significant pressures in urgent care. In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic continues to impact on the delivery of health and care services.
"This has resulted in cumulative pressures at University Hospitals Ayr and Crosshouse, particularly in relation to the availability of key staff to support service delivery and the provision of critical care."
But they hope relaxations of tough Covid self-isolation protocols will free up staff after new measures mean NHS and social care workers who have been 'pinged' or identified as close contacts of sufferers, do not now need to stay away from work if they meet certain criteria.
Instead, those who have been double-vaccinated for more than 14 days can return to work if they return a negative PCR test, as long as they are not facing restrictions due to foreign travel.
Don't miss the latest Ayrshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter here
