Concern is growing over Covid case numbers in the UK, with some health leaders calling for “Plan B”, or the UK Government option of tougher control measures in England over winter.

Cases are rising, with a height of almost 50,000 reported across the UK on Monday.

There has also been “quite a steep increase” in the average daily case count over the last week, Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) told a press conference on Wednesday.

Dr Harries described an “unusual and and slightly worrying picture”, adding that cases are now almost as high as they were in July, and “not far off” where they were last winter.

Lateral flow Covid testing. Picture: PA Media

"What we are not seeing is that dip down again at the other side of the peak, and that is really important because we are kicking off the winter at a really high level of cases,” she said.

But how do figures in Scotland compare to the rest of the UK?

It’s a slightly different story, as during the third wave there has been a difference in Covid rates north and south of the border.

Scotland has so far tended to see numbers rise, and subsequently fall, a few weeks earlier than the rest of the country.

How does Scotland's Covid case rate compare to the rest of the UK? - Analysis