UK coronavirus live: 367 people die within 24 hours, highest since end of May

Nicola Sturgeon has warned North and South Lanarkshire could be placed under the most severe restrictions on Monday, at level 4 under the new Scottish ranking system, after a surge in cases in both areas.

The first minister told Holyrood she hoped the situation in both areas would stabilise during the week, meaning they would escape that designation by the time she finally decided which levels would be applied in which areas on Thursday.

She said over the last 24 hours, 25 people with confirmed infections had died, another 48 people admitted to hospital and there had been 1,327 positive tests, taking Scotland’s total to 59,201. The number in intensive care fell by eight to 82.

While the rate of increase was subsiding, she warned that fatality and hospitalisation figures would continue to rise in the next few weeks but the imperative was to get cases down to as low as possible by Christmas.

After publishing Scotland’s five-tier controls system on Friday, Sturgeon gave MSPs an indication of which levels councils were likely to be in.

She said ministers had relaxed some of the proposed restrictions on bars, restaurants and cafes. All hospitality businesses could now open until 6pm at level 3, provided no alcohol was sold, and under level 2 restaurants and pubs could now serve alcohol with food until 8pm.

The Western Isles, Orkney, Shetland, Highland and Moray were the only councils likely to be in level 1, the second lowest tier. Most of Scotland outside the central belt would be level 2 while central Scotland would stay in level 3.

She said Dundee, where cases have been rising sharply, could be put into level 3, involving a ban on alcohol sales, no indoor socialisation, and restrictions on hotels and B&Bs.

A new postcode checker would become operational before Monday to allow people to see what levels applied to their areas, she added.