Scots Covid death toll hits highest level since June

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Seven more deaths of people who tested positive for coronavirus have been recorded in Scotland, the highest daily total since 17 June.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the deaths were a “very sharp reminder” that Covid is “extremely dangerous”.

A further 640 new positive test results were also reported, with 137 people being treated in hospital.

The total number of people to have died in Scotland within 28 days of testing positive now stands at 2,519.

But the National Records of Scotland says the virus has been mentioned as a contributing factor or suspected cause of death on 4,257 death certificates.

• Live: Latest on coronavirus in Scotland

Fresh restrictions have been imposed across the UK in recent weeks in response to a sharp rise in coronavirus cases.

The seven deaths Ms Sturgeon reported at her daily briefing was the highest total for more than three months, and the first minister said this was “a very sharp reminder that Covid is an extremely dangerous virus as well as a highly infectious one”.

She said that more deaths were “a consequence of the virus getting out of control”, but said they were “not inevitable” if people stuck to the restrictions.

She said: “As night follows day, if we allow infections to continue to rise they will go from younger people to older people, people in older more vulnerable groups will get sick, be admitted to intensive care and die.

“That is the path this virus will take if we don’t get in its way and interrupt it.

“We can interrupt it - we interrupted it in the summer and we can do it again, but it means all of us sticking to the rules.”

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Ms Sturgeon also announced the rollout of a new £500 grant for people on low incomes who are asked to self-isolate.

The Self-Isolation Support Grant is designed to help those who would lose income if they are advised to stay at home, and will be open for applications from 12 October.

It is targeted at people who are in receipt of Universal Credit or are in financial hardship, and will be administered by local councils.

Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville that while self-isolation “can be tough”, it was “essential to protect people and reduce the spread of coronavirus”.

She added: “We want to do everything we can to support people throughout this challenging time and these payments will help ensure people do not have to make a choice between self-isolating and supporting themselves financially.”