More than 45,000 people have been vaccinated against coronavirus in Scotland during the past 24 hours - the third day the country has recorded its highest daily total in a row.
Speaking during a daily briefing on the state of the pandemic in Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon said that 45,085 first-dose vaccinations had been delivered as of 8.30am this morning.
At the same time, the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 has risen by 1,144.
However, the test positivity rate was recorded as 4.9 per cent, the first time it has fallen below 5% this year, something Ms Sturgeon hailed as a "ray of sunshine".
READ MORE: How many vaccines have been administered?
The 5% figure is significant as the World Health Organisation recommended in May that the percent positive remain below that level for at least two weeks before governments consider reopening.
There were 53 new deaths registered during that time, taking the overall toll to 6,322.
A total of 1,812 patients are being treated in hospital - a fall of 53 in 24 hours, with 127 being treated in intensive care, a drop of four.
Total cases since the pandemic began now stand at 183,418.
Of those being treated in hospital, 339 were in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 159 in Lothian Health Board area, 190 in Lanarkshire and the rest spread out across the country.
Nicola Sturgeon said vaccine uptake is “beyond anything I could ever have believed would be possible”.
Speaking at the coronavirus briefing in Edinburgh on Thursday, the First Minister said 98% of older care home residents had received the first dose of the vaccine, while more than 90% of those over the age of 80 had also been inoculated.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon says it's 'over-simplistic' to claim Brexit vaccine benefit
She said: “I want to thank you, the public, those of you in the groups that have already been prioritised for vaccine, for coming forward in such large numbers so far.
“The uptake rates we’re seeing, and I hope this continues as we get into the younger population groups, are way beyond anything I could ever have believed would be possible – way beyond what we see in the flu vaccine programme.
“That’s testament to the willingness and the enthusiasm of people to come forward and be vaccinated for their own safety but also to be part of that collective effort that we need to have to beat this virus.”
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