JASON Leitch has admitted that he is ‘concerned’ about rising Covid cases ahead of the plan that face coverings will no longer be a legal requirement in the country from March 21.

Infection rates in the country have increased for five weeks in a row, while the trend for the rest of the UK is that Covid rates are decreasing.

Yesterday, the number of people in hospital who had recently contracted the virus was 1,360, while in mid-February there were fewer than 868 patients.

At the peak of the Omicron wave in January, 1,571 were in hospital.

Last week, case numbers appeared to be rising but dropped at the weekend. On Monday, Scotland recorded 8,656 new cases of Covid-19.

In comparison, 3.55 per cent of people in England, where all Covid rules have been axed, were estimated to have contracted the virus in the last infection survey, while the percentage stood at 5.33 per cent in Scotland.

Wales recorded 3.1 per cent and Northern Ireland 5.79 per cent, and cases in other parts of the UK are dropping.

On March 15, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will announce the decision whether or not she will end the face mask law as planned on March 21, and on the same date it is planned that rules affecting businesses such as collecting customers’ details for test and trace are also due to be scrapped.

Professor Jason Leitch, Scotland’s National Clinical Director, spoke about his worries about the state of the pandemic in Scotland but added that he was “not panicking” about increasing case numbers.

He said: “I’m not thinking we should suddenly go back to restrictions or protections, but I am concerned.

“As we mix more, the virus gets more opportunities, so we’ve got 10,000 cases a day, we’ve had a little bit of an increase in those in hospital - it’s not huge, so people shouldn’t panic, but this disease is not over and it’s not done with us.”

Prof Leitch also stressed the importance for Scots to get vaccinated against the virus to suppress it.

He added: “You should still be cautious, particularly around those who are vulnerable.

“So get your vaccine, particularly if you’re getting a letter now if you’re in one of these elderly groups, or vulnerable groups.

“Test - because that testing is still available - and follow the guidance.”

Children aged between five and 11 are now being invited for their first dose of the vaccine, along with second booster jabs for the elderly and most vulnerable.

Prof Leitch said that for the younger age group information was readily available for worried parents about possible side-effects or other impacts of the vaccine.

The Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “What these figures indicate is that the stricter restrictions imposed by Nicola Sturgeon on Scotland did not work – as infection rates increased here, while they fell in the rest of the UK.

“The requirement for facemasks – which negatively affect children’s learning - to be worn in classrooms has thankfully now gone and we believe it’s right that the Scottish Government continue to move from blanket restrictions to a focus on common sense and the public taking personal responsibility for living with the virus.

“But I would expect infection rates to continue rising in the short term as restrictions ease - and obviously Scotland is behind the rest of the UK on this because the SNP have been slower to remove curbs.

“These figures are proof that we’ve not yet defeated Covid, so I would urge everyone who has not yet had the vaccine to do so, and for those eligible for the spring booster programme to take advantage of it.”