A further 32 people have been diagnosed with coronavirus in the past 24 hours in the north and north-east.

The latest update from the Scottish Government shows there have been a further 350 Covid-19 cases recorded since Friday.

It is the highest single day surge in cases since May.

There have been three deaths recorded in Scotland in the past 24 hours, one in the NHS Grampian area.

A total of 64 people are in hospital with a recently confirmed case of the virus.

Nine of those in hospital are receiving treatment in intensive care, up from five yesterday.

Coronavirus in Scotland – track the spread in these charts and maps

A regional breakdown of the data shows there have been 13 new cases confirmed in the Grampian area in the past 24 hours.

There have now been 2,078 positive cases in the north-east and Moray since the pandemic began.

In the Highlands, a further 14 people have tested positive for the virus, taking the region’s total to 549.

There have been two new cases on Orkney, taking its total to 19, and three new cases in Shetland, which has now reached a total of 60.

There are no new cases in the Western Isles, leaving its cumulative total on 10.

The latest figures come just one day after Nicola Sturgeon warned “hard but necessary” decisions may be needed in the coming days to prevent another national lockdown.

The first minister said coronavirus “could get out of our grip again” as Scotland faces the risk of “exponential growth” of Covid-19.

She said this weekend will be “critical” to how the Government plots a way forward, and added she wanted to give the nation “advanced notice” that the “coming days are likely to see some hard but necessary decisions”.