A further 86 cases of the new Omicron Covid variant have been reported in the UK, taking the total to 246.
This compares with a total of 160 yesterday – an increase of more than 50%.
Of the new cases, 68 were found in England and 18 were recorded in Scotland in the past 24 hours.
Scotland has now had 48 cases of Omicron overall. Of the most recent cases, the largest rise came in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, which has now had 23 cases after 12 more were confirmed today.
NHS Lanarkshire recorded four new cases in 24 hours and has 13 overall.
One more case was confirmed in the Forth Valley health board area, taking the total to six.
A case of the new variant was recorded in NHS Lothian for the first time.
The latest comes as one of the Government’s scientific advisors warned it was already too late to stop the spread of the potentially dangerous new variant.
Yesterday, the Government tightened travel measures for the second time in a week, bringing in new rules that state people must get a pre-departure test before travelling to the UK. Previously only a post-arrival test was necessary.
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