The total number of weekly Covid cases being recorded in North Ayrshire has risen yet again.

The latest data from Public Health Scotland available at the time of writing show that there were 2,239 positive LFD and PCR test results returned in the area between March 2 - March 8. The PHS portal was malfunctioning yesterday and there was no update provided, so the actual figure is likely to be even higher.

That’s an increase from 1,521 in the seven-day period we reported last week.

It gives us a seven-day rate per 100,000 of population of 1667.8.

North Ayrshire is currently the fourth-worst affected council area by this measure.

And hospital admissions continue to rise, with the Ayrshire and Arran Health board area reporting 135 people in Ayrshire hospitals with a Covid-related illness yesterday, up from 110 on the same day the week before. There have only been more patients in Ayrshire hospitals on six days in the last year

Nationally, intensive care admitted patients are rising too (27, up from 18), however, in Ayrshire and Arran there remain fewer than five people in intensive care with Covid.

On vaccinations, 94.4 per cent of the population in North Ayrshire aged 12 and over have had at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, 89.2 per cent have had two, and 74.2 per cent have had three.

And statistics from the National Records of Scotland show that there were twelve people who died in Ayrshire where Covid-19 was mentioned on their death certificate between February 28 and March 6. Nine were from North Ayrshire.

Last week, letters were being sent to parents and carers of 5-11-year-olds to invite them for their first dose.