NICOLA Sturgeon will provide an update on coronavirus restrictions in Scotland after Covid-19 hospital occupancy soared to a thirteen-month high.

Last month, the First Minister announced that the requirement to wear face coverings on public transport and in public places would be eased to guidance as of March 21. 

However, the change to restrictions was provisional on there being "no significant adverse developments in the course of the virus”.

In the first week of March, an estimated one in every 18 Scots had Covid-19, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.

Speaking to BBC's Good Morning Scotland on Monday, Scotland's chief medical officer Sir Gregor Smith said that a "cautious approach" to lifting restrictions would be recommended to ministers. 

He added that there is some early evidence the hospital admission rate is beginning to "top out". 

When will Nicola Sturgeon's next Covid update take place and what will she say? 

The First Minister will address MSPs in Holyrood at 2.20pm on Tuesday, March 15. 

She previously announced Scotland's legal Covid-19 restrictions could lift by March 21. 

This would mean an end to legal requirements to wear face coverings, as well as easing on the requirement for businesses to log customer details for track and trace purposes.

With the UK Government scaling back free testing from April 1, Ms Sturgeon could also provide an update on the scheme in this update.

The Scottish Tories urged the First Minister to stick to the original time scale despite the increasing case numbers.

 “The First Minister must not use the rise in infection rates as an excuse to kick the can further down the road. The last remaining Covid restrictions must end, as planned, next Monday,” said Dr Sandesh Gulhane, the party’s health spokesman.

“Of course, we must all remain vigilant and use common sense because Covid has not gone away – but the First Minister accepted last month that we have to learn to live with it.”

 Scottish Labour's deputy leader urged the Scottish Government to continue to support Test and Protect.

“The continued progress towards some form of normality is to be welcomed after Scotland being under restrictions for so long,” Ms Baillie added.

“But while this progress is welcome, it is clear that we are not out of the woods yet.”

How many people are testing positive for Covid-19 in Scotland? 

Since the announcement on provisional plans to ease restrictions on February 22, daily case numbers have more than doubled from  6,427 to 13,220 on Friday.

However, figures rose rapidly after official figures began including reinfections from March 1.

In the same period, the number of people in hospital with the virus rose from 1060 to 1663 during the same period. 

On Monday, 1805 people were in hospital with recently confirmed Covid-19, however the latest cases were not released due to a technical issue with Public Health Scotland.

Sir Gregor Smith said: “I think that a cautious approach, at this point in time, is probably the right approach, and we’re already seeing the public adopting those additional protections,” he said.

How can I watch Nicola Sturgeon's Covid briefing? 

The Covid update will be streamed on the Scottish government's social media channels.

It can also be watched on their official TV website.