Scotland has fewest UK Covid-19 cases

The proportion of people testing positive for Covid-19 in Scotland fell to the lowest level in the UK last week, according to latest figures.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that 107,300 people in private households, 2.04% of the population, had Covid-19 in week ending November 1.

This equates to about one in 50 people and was below the level in England and Wales, where it was about one in 40, and Northern Ireland where it was one in 45.

It is the first time since mid-august that Covid-19 infections have fallen in all four UK nations.

Infections in Scotland were down from the previous week when it was estimated about one in 35 had Covid-19.

Scotland last had the lowest infection levels in the UK in the week ending September 29, when one in 50 people was estimated to have Covid, while in Wales and Northern Ireland it was one in 40 and England one in 35.

Sarah Crofts from the ONS said: “This week, infections have decreased in every country across the UK for the first time in 10 weeks.”