Three further covid deaths have been reported as the First Minister warns the pandemic is again accelerating across Scotland.

A further 176 positive covid-19 cases have been reported over the past 24 hours.

Every mainland health board has reported new cases, including 91 in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 32 in Lanarkshire, 16 in Lothian and eight in Ayrshire and Arran.

Restrictions on gathering in other people’s homes are currently in place across five local authority areas in the west of Scotland, including Greater Glasgow and Clyde, East and West Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire.

Ahead of the latest three weekly review of lockdown restrictions on Thursday, Nicola Sturgeon said the latest figures suggested government “may well not be able to go ahead with any further easing of restrictions at this time”.

Speaking at today’s virus briefing from St Andrews House, Ms Sturgeon said she wanted to tackle head on any suggestion that because the virus was at the moment infecting more young people than old people, there was little reason to worry.

“That is in my view, potentially a really dangerous delusion”, the First Minister said.

Speaking after the government’s daily virus briefing, Deputy First Minister John Swinney said the rise in cases while “still unwelcome,” was not unexpected and mimicked the experience of most countries around the world.

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