More than 500 people have been confirmed to have tested positive for Covid-19 in Scotland during the past 24 hours.

Speaking during the daily briefing on the state of the pandemic in Scotland, Deputy First Minister John Swinney said that the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 recorded yesterday was 501.

The test positivity rate was recorded at 5%, meeting the figure the World Health Organisation considers the marker for an epidemic being under control. 

Of those confirmed to have a case, 138 were in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board area, 99 in Lanarkshire, 67 in Lothian, with the rest spread out across the country. 

The number of people being treated in hospital - including those in intensive care - 713. 

A total of 654 people are currently in hospital with a case of the virus - and increase of 26 - while 59 are in intensive care wards, a fall of two. 

Just one new death was registered during the weekend. However, the recording of deaths tends to be lower on Monday as registry offices are closed during the weekend.

Since Friday 13 deaths have been registered, taking the overall toll from the virus to 7,422.

Mr Swinney offered his condolaces to the families of those affected. 

The vaccination programme continues has slowed slightly, with 1,774,659 now having received their first dose of the virus - 14,909 since yesterday, while 118,732 have been givenb a second dose. 

Mr Swinney said that the drop in vaccinations was expected due to manufacturing issues, and that the pace was expected to increase "significantly" next week.