Today there were 190 patients (174 a week ago) in NHS Grampian hospitals who have tested positive for covid-19, plus three (no change) in intensive care. In Aberdeenshire four more deaths were recorded in the past week linked to covid-19. The cumulative toll is 293.

• REDUCING – 2989 cases were recorded in the past seven days. Previous weekly figures were: 3469, 4148, 3789, 2797, 2357, 2305, 2555, 2763, and 1203.

• FALLING – The seven day positive rate per 100,000 has dropped to 1146.2, according to Public Health Scotland (seven days to 29 March). Previous weeks were 1330.2, 1590.6, 1452.9, 1072.6, 906.1, 882.7, 978.6, 473.6, and 459.0.

• In the past seven days 56 cases were recorded in the Netherley / Fetteresso / Catterline area, 63 in the Banchory-Devenick / Findon area, 52 in Portlethen, and 50 in Newtonhill.

NHS Grampian says: “The trends here are going in a better direction and are no longer accelerating each day. They remain exceptionally high however and widespread across Grampian. Covid-19 hospital occupancy remains at extraordinary high levels, though the good news is there has been a fall in new admissions with symptomatic disease over the past 10 days or so.

“Looking ahead to what we might expect over the next 6-8 weeks, if the case numbers are a good reflection of actual trends, then we may see hospital occupancy continue to climb until mid-April before falling.”