About one in 65 people in Scotland had Covid-19 last week, figures suggest

The proportion of people in Scotland testing positive for Covid-19 appeared to rise last week although the trend was “uncertain”, according to the latest figures.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that an estimated 82,300 people in private households, equating to 1.56% of the population, had the virus in the week ending January 31.

This equated to about one in 65 people, up from about one in 70 people the previous week.

However, ONS said the trend north of the border was “uncertain” in the week to January 31.

Michelle Bowen, ONS head of Health Surveillance Dissemination and Strategy, said: “Today’s data shows a mixed picture across the UK, with infections increasing in England, continuing to decrease in Northern Ireland and uncertain trends in Scotland and Wales.

“It is too early to say if these changes mark an overall change in recent trends in infections we’ve seen.”

In England, it is estimated that about one in 65 people had Covid-19 in the week ending January 31 while in Northern Ireland it was about one in 70.

ONS said the trend was uncertain in Wales, where it was estimated that about one in 85 people had Covid-19 that week.