AN update on the coronavirus pandemic in Scotland will be provided by the First Minister today.

Nicola Sturgeon is expected to make a statement regarding Covid-19 to MSPs this afternoon amid a rise in cases across the country.

It was earlier announced by Deputy First Minister John Swinney that restrictions could be put in place if cases do not drop in the run-up to Christmas. 

He said that the continued number of high cases was "concerning".

Speaking last week, he said: “The spread of the virus has not reduced to the low levels we saw after the lockdowns.”

The Scottish Government is currently considering extending the vaccine passport scheme to include indoor hospitality and leisure settings.

READ MORE: John Swinney indicates tougher rules could be announced next week

Mr Swinney said that discussions with businesses would take place in due course in an effort to curb rising cases. 

Yesterday, 3077 people tested positive for the virus, with one further death recorded in the same 24-hour period. 

There were 765 people in hospitals across Scotland, of which 56 are being treated in intensive care units.

The coronavirus death toll of people who first tested positive in the previous 28 days currently stands at 9389 in Scotland.

The coronavirus update will be shown at 2.20pm today and can be viewed on the Scottish Government's Twitter page, Parliament TV and BBC iPlayer.