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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Eric McGowan

Nicola Sturgeon says face mask rule will end next month as 9,610 Scots Covid cases reported

A further 9,610 cases of coronavirus have been reported in Scotland – with the nation's virus death toll increasing by 34.

Data published by the Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland show there are 2,344 patients with Covid in Scottish hospitals which is down 39 from yesterday.

There are currently 20 people being treated with the disease in ICUs across the nation.

The new fatalities within the last 24 hours mean the nation's death toll from the virus now stands at 11,393.

However, 13,684 deaths had been registered up to Sunday, March 20 where the disease was mentioned on the death certificate.

The statistics were published this afternoon as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that the legal requirement to wear face masks in shops and on public transport will end next month.

Nicola Sturgeon told MSPs the face coverings requirement would be phased out during April (Getty Images)

She told the Scottish Parliament: "From next Monday, April 4, it will no longer be a legal requirement to wear a face covering in places of worship or while attending a marriage ceremony, a civil partnership registration, or a funeral service or commemorative event.

"And then the wider legal requirement – applying to shops, certain other indoor settings and public transport – will be converted to guidance two weeks later on April 18.

"We will, of course, continue to encourage the wearing of face coverings in certain indoor places, especially where significant numbers of people are present."

Meanwhile, there are 186 patients with Covid in Ayrshire hospitals – up two from yesterday – while fewer than five people are being treated with the illness in the region's intensive care units.

In terms of Public Health Scotland's rolling seven-day infection rate per 100,000 population, Na h-Eileanan Siar has the highest rate in the country – at 2,898.1 as of Tuesday, March 29.

Shetland Islands has the second-highest infection rate at 1,635.3 while South Ayrshire is third with 1,613.2.

In terms of Ayrshire's two remaining local authorities, North Ayrshire's rate is 1,580.6 while East Ayrshire's stands at 1,561.7.

Of the 779 new cases reported in Ayrshire, 278 were in North Ayrshire with 252 in South Ayrshire and 247 in East Ayrshire.

7-day infection rate per 100,000 population for each council area...

781.3 Orkney Islands

998.5 Dundee City

1,062.2 Aberdeen City

1,110.3 Angus

1,130.5 Glasgow City

1,206.4 Stirling

1,222.4 Perth & Kinross

1,230.9 Aberdeenshire

1,247.1 East Renfrewshire

1,251.6 Dumfries & Galloway

1,252 City of Edinburgh

1,263 Argyll & Bute

1,294.5 Fife

1,308.8 North Lanarkshire

1,320.7 Moray

1,343.3 Scottish Borders/Clackmannanshire

1,349.4 East Lothian

1,360.6 South Lanarkshire

1,364.6 East Dunbartonshire

1,378.5 West Lothian

1,381.6 Midlothian

1,436.5 Highland

1,442.2 West Dunbartonshire

1,463.8 Inverclyde

1,495.1 Renfrewshire

1,556.4 Falkirk

1,561.7 East Ayrshire

1,580.6 North Ayrshire

1,613.2 South Ayrshire

1,635.3 Shetland Islands

2,898.1 Na h-Eileanan Siar

A total of 4,353,991 people have received one dose of a Covid vaccine; 4,092,791 are double jabbed and 3,451,131 people have received a third dose/booster.

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