Scotland has recorded its highest daily Covid death toll in six months, as reports of 30 people dying have been made in the last 24 hours.
Scottish Government figures show a total of 8,293 people have now died after recently testing positive for coronavirus.
The thirty new deaths recorded is the highest daily increase since March 3.
Two of the reported deaths took place in Perth and Kinross, with none elsewhere in Tayside and Fife.
Figures also show 4,917 new cases on Wednesday, down slightly on the figure of over 7,000 reported on several days last week.
Over 1,000 Covid cases in Scottish hospitals
The test positivity rate in Scotland now stands at 9.2%, according to the latest data.
Of the new cases, 137 are in Dundee whilst Fife’s Covid case tally increased by 374.
The new results also include 103 new cases in Perth and Kinross and 60 in Angus.
The government also confirmed that 1,079 people are in hospital who have recently tested positive for the virus.
Across Scotland, 91 people are receiving treatment in intensive care units.
It comes after SNP Health Secretary Humza Yousaf urged Scots to think twice about calling 999, with the ambulance service said to be under significant pressure.
The health secretary said people should only call for an ambulance if it is “absolutely critical”.
In an update on Tuesday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also confirmed the rollout of vaccines to 12 and 15-year-olds.
The seven-day case rate across Tayside and Fife has started to fall after rising to a record high.
In Dundee the rate now stands at 679 per 100,000 people, down from over 800 on September 10.
In Fife it now stands at 667 per 100,000, down from 850 earlier this month.
Coronavirus in Scotland – track the spread with these charts