No confirmed Covid-19 deaths but 17 new cases in Scotland in past 24 hours

A further 17 people in Scotland have tested positive for Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, according to Scottish Government figures.

The numbers from Friday also show there have been no new deaths involving someone with a positive Covid-19 test.

It means the death toll under this measurement remains unchanged from Thursday at 2,491.

A total of 18,401 people have now tested positive for the virus in Scotland.

There are 316 people in hospital with confirmed Covid-19. Of these patients, three are in intensive care.

Responding to the latest coronavirus Scotland figures, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: “Another day yesterday with no deaths registered of people with confirmed #COVID. My thanks to everyone across (Scotland) – our collective sacrifices have helped get this virus under control.

“Please keep it up. Let’s not drop our guard now. Remember FACTS”

Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has vowed to increase the UK’s Covid-19 testing capacity to 500,000 tests per day by the end of October in a bid to keep any potential second wave this winter under control.

The Prime Minister warned that the rise in the number of people with coronavirus-type symptoms due to seasonal illnesses could make the job of tracking the virus harder in colder months.

Speaking at a press briefing at Downing Street, Mr Johnson said testing capacity currently stands at 200,000 per day.

The PM said: “As we approach winter we will need to go further, not least because many more people will show Covid-like symptoms as a result of seasonal illnesses and therefore require a test.

“So we will further increase testing capacity to at least 500,000 antigen tests a day and 3.5 million antigen tests a week by the end of October.”

The boost to testing will include Scotland, but Mr Johnson also unveiled the easing of many lockdown measures in England only from August 1.

He suggested that fans may be allowed into sports stadiums in October, and that society could see a “significant return to normality” by Christmas.

That’s despite a report by the Academy of Medical Sciences earlier this week which warned that, in a worst-case scenario, a second wave of Covid-19 could result in up to 120,000 deaths by June next year.