A further 18,124 cases of coronavirus have been reported in Scotland – with the nation's virus death toll increasing by 23.
Data published by the Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland show there are 2,050 patients with Covid in Scottish hospitals which is up 13 from yesterday.
There are currently 31 people being treated with the disease in ICUs across the nation.
The new fatalities within the last 24 hours mean the nation's death toll from the virus now stands at 11,098.
However, 13,563 deaths had been registered up to Sunday, March 13 where the disease was mentioned on the death certificate.
Meanwhile, there are 150 patients with Covid in Ayrshire hospitals – up nine from yesterday and the highest since January 17 – while fewer than five people are being treated with the illness in the region's intensive care units.
Today's reported case numbers include more than a 24 hour period (from 2pm on March 16 and 17 ) due to technical issues earlier in the week.
In terms of Public Health Scotland's rolling seven-day infection rate per 100,000 population, Na h-Eileanan Siar has the highest rate in the country – at 2,905.7 as of Thursday, March 17.
East Ayrshire has the second-highest infection rate at 2,250 while North Ayrshire is third with 2,216.8.
In terms of Ayrshire's remaining local authority, Souith Ayrshire's rate stands at 1,900.3
Of the 1,648 new cases reported in Ayrshire, 592 were in North Ayrshire with 589 in East Ayrshire and 466 in South Ayrshire.
7-day infection rate per 100,000 population for each council area...
1,143.7 Dundee City
1,178.6 Orkney Islands
1,243.8 Aberdeen City
1,358.6 Glasgow City
1,373.3 Fife
1,383.1 Dumfries & Galloway
1,458.1 City of Edinburgh
1,488.4 Perth & Kinross
1,496.9 Scottish Borders
1,561.5 East Renfrewshire
1,590.6 Aberdeenshire
1,595.5 Argyll & Bute
1,606.5 West Lothian
1,641.4 Moray
1,646.8 Midlothian
1,652.8 Shetland Islands
1,663.5 Stirling
1,688 Angus
1,727.4 North Lanarkshire
1,862.4 Renfrewshire
1,886.9 East Dunbartonshire
1,892.5 East Lothian
1,900.3 South Ayrshire
1,907.6 Inverclyde
1,954.4 South Lanarkshire
1,974.3 Highland
2,007 West Dunbartonshire
2,033.5 Clackmannanshire
2,089.6 Falkirk
2,216.8 North Ayrshire
2,250 East Ayrshire
2,905.7 Na h-Eileanan Siar
A total of 4,441,944 people have received one dose of a Covid vaccine; 4,173,678 are double jabbed and 3,473,650 people have received a third dose/booster.
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