Britain today recorded another four-month high in Covid cases for the third day in a row, despite signs that the outbreak may be slowing down.
Department of Health bosses posted 16,703 positive tests — up 51.7 per cent on the week before. It is the most since February 6 (18,262).
But the spike in infections has been mainly fuelled by a huge up-tick in cases in Scotland, fuelled by a massive testing blitz to flush out cases of the Delta variant.
Separate data actually shows the speed of growth is slowing down in most regions of the UK, in a positive sign that the crisis is no longer spiralling out of control.
Meanwhile, official figures today also revealed the number of hospitalisations has actually fallen. Deaths remain flat but are creeping upwards, with 21 victims today compared to 19 last Thursday.
However, despite promising signs that the third wave is already heading in the right direction, some scientists believe Euro 2020 has helped to fuel an increase in cases.
Two-thirds of new infections in the 15 to 44 age range are now men, data from the Scottish Government's own Covid dashboard show, which has led experts to believe the rise is linked closely to friends meeting indoors to watch the football tournament.
Others have suggested the thousands of Tartan Army fans who travelled to England to watch the crunch Euro tie against the Auld Enemy at Wembley may have brought the disease back with them.
There were nearly 3,000 new Covid infections in Scotland in the past 24 hours, the largest toll ever in a single day. The figure, up slightly on yesterday's tally, is more than twice as high as the number Scotland was recording earlier in the week
Separate data actually shows the speed of growth is slowing down in most regions of the UK, in a positive sign that the crisis is no longer spiralling out of control. Data from PHE shows how the week-on-week growth rate in Covid cases has changed in the different regions of England since January
What social distancing? There was little room for space in Leicester Square as Scotland fans took over the capital's famous West End ahead of their crunch tie against England last Friday
Scotland reported 2,999 new coronavirus cases today, making it the highest total ever in a single day. It was up slightly on the 2,969 recorded yesterday and double the number on Tuesday. Scientists say the rise may be partly because of tens of thousands of fans travelled to England to watch the crunch Euro 2020 tie
Officials say the spike in cases is a result of a mass testing blitz in Scotland to snuff out the Indian variant. Despite the scaling up of swabs, roughly 8 per cent of tests came back positive in the last 24 hours, which was in line with the rise since the start of June
Two-thirds of infections in the 15 to 44 age range are now men, which has led experts like Professor Stephen Reicher (right) to believe the rise is linked closely to Euro 2020
There were nearly 3,000 new Covid infections in Scotland in the past 24 hours, the largest toll ever in a single day. The figure, up slightly on yesterday's tally, is more than twice as high as the number Scotland was recording earlier in the week.
The rapid rise in cases has been blamed by officials in England and Scotland on a massive testing blitz, and not a sudden outbreak. However, there has been a steady increase in infections north of the border since the start of June, which was already speeding up before the mass swabbing scheme.
Professor Reicher, a behavioural psychologist at the University of St Andrews, told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme: 'A few weeks ago it was about 50:50, men and women got infected at the same rate.
'Yesterday the data showed that young men - men under 45 - were about three times more likely to get infected.
'We can't be sure why that is, but the obvious explanation is that people were getting together for the football and not taking precautions.
Edinburgh University's Professor Linda Bauld said it was still too early to say football fans were definitely behind the rise, but she admitted there was a 'trend'.
The public health expert added that men were 'more likely to take risks' and engage in behaviours that could fuel the spread of the disease.
Scotland reported 2,999 new coronavirus cases today, making it the highest total ever in a single day. It was up slightly on the 2,969 recorded yesterday and more than double the number on Monday.
