Half of all council areas record increase in cases

CoVID cases are rising in half of Scotland’s 32 local authority areas.

Sixteen councils recorded an increase in case rates over the past seven days, according to UK Government data.

The figures cover seven-day case rates per 100,000 population up to october 26, compared with the seven days to october 19.

Cases are highest in Clackmannanshire, at 692 per 100,000, compared with 540 per 100,000 the previous week.

The Covid rate also rose in North Lanarkshire, from 389 to 421; in Aberdeenshire, from 328 to 423; in east Lothian, from 312 to 358; and in Angus, from 322 to 354.

other local authorities reporting a rise in their case rate were Dumfries and Galloway, West Dunbartonshire, Perth and Kinross,

Highland, orkney, Western Isles, Argyll and Bute, Midlothian, edinburgh, Aberdeen City and Shetland.

Across the UK, Covid rates are continuing to rise in nearly one in five local areas, with sharp increases in the east Midlands.

South-West england continues to have the highest rates of any part of the UK.

The data suggests the third wave is now being driven by localised outbreaks rather than a countrywide surge in new cases.

The latest Scottish Government figures show 2,065 new cases in the past 24 hours, with 931 people in hospital, of whom 68 were in intensive care.