Covid-19 case rates for each of the four UK nations have dropped to a six-month low, but continue to show signs of levelling off, latest figures suggest.
Despite the number of cases levelling off across the UK, Scotland has the highest rate of cases with a rate of 70.1 per 100,000.
This is down from 73.5 a week earlier but up slightly from the rate of 69.5 two weeks ago.
Across the UK, Wales has the lowest rate among the four nations, with 39.1 cases per 100,000 people recorded in the seven days to March 24.
READ MORE: Face mask rules in Scotland: The one key issue that could land you an £80 fine
Rates have not been at this level in Wales since mid-September.
The pace of the drop has slowed considerably, however, with the latest seven-day rate barely changed from 42.6 recorded a week earlier or 40.3 the week before that.
In England, the current rate of 55.9 cases per 100,000 people is down only slightly from 57.1 in the previous week and 58.8 a fortnight earlier.
Northern Ireland has seen its seven-day rate drop slightly from 66.4 on March 10 to 59.8 on March 17 and 56.3 by March 24.
The figures, compiled by the PA news agency using data from the UK’s health agencies, show rates of new recorded cases of coronavirus have reached or are near a “floor”, below which they are unlikely to fall much further.
READ MORE: Covid Scotland LIVE: Nicola Sturgeon's warning as third of Scots admit lockdown breach
Rates are also flatlining at levels higher than the floor seen last summer.
At the start of September 2020 – before the second wave of the virus began to take hold across the UK – all four nations were recording rates below 25.0.
Rates were even lower at the start of August, with all nations below 10.0.
The latest figures come as each nation starts to ease lockdown restrictions that have been in place since the start of the year.
Scotland is set to replace its “stay at home” rule with “stay local” from April 2, while in Northern Ireland two households or up to six people can meet outdoors from April 1.
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