The number of people diagnosed with coronavirus in Scotland has jumped yet again to 171.

That is an increase of 18 from yesterday's figure of 153.

The update came as part of the Scottish Government's 2pm daily announcement regarding the COVID-19 outbreak.

Greater Glasgow remains the NHS board in the country with the highest cases, jumping again from 39 to 44.

The total number of people in Scotland who have died as a result of the virus remains at one.

Elsewhere, in Lanarkshire the number of cases has risen from 16 to 20.

Glasgow Times:

READ MORE: Coronavirus: LIVE updates in Glasgow amid COVID-19 pandemic

The update also revealed that an additional 655 tests for COVID-19 took place in Scotland in the last 24 hours.

So far, 4895 tests have been carried out here for the deadly virus.

Of that, 4724 have been negative while 171 came back positive.

We earlier told how Scientists have suggested that Glasgow could soon become the next "Coronavirus hub" due to the weather.

A dramatic map showed spikes of COVID-19 in Milan, Tehran and Seattle - which bear similar climates to Scotland in the coming weeks.

In a detailed report by experts from the University of Maryland, Glasgow has been placed next to Manchester and London as one of the "cities tentatively predicted to be at risk for COVID-19 in the coming weeks".

The map predicts the "at risk" zones through temperature data from March 2019 to April 2019. It suggests that the outbreak of COVID-19 spreads more easily in cold, damp climates.

Glasgow Times: Coronavirus testing laboratory

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Pavilion Theatre cancels shows for two months

Meanwhile, authorities have announced surveillance testing for coronavirus will be significantly expanded to GP practices covering a total of 1.2 million people to give a clearer picture of the spread of the disease. 

The number of GP practices taking part in the "sentinel" surveillance system will be expanded from 41, covering 240,000 people, to 200 around the country this week to help experts track how the situation is developing.

The Scottish Government announced at the weekend that people showing coronavirus symptoms will no longer be routinely tested for the infection.

Only those admitted to hospital with flu-like symptoms and breathing difficulties, NHS staff and "key workers" will be routinely tested for Covid-19 as part of the updated testing policy.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the figures reported so far are likely to have underestimated the spread of the infection and the new policy could help provide a clearer picture.

Speaking at a briefing in Edinburgh she said: "People with symptoms in hospital will continue to be tested but also our GP sentinel surveillance system, which we use routinely to monitor flu, is being significantly expanded.

"At the moment it's 41 GP practices across the country doing sample testing.

"These GP practices cover about 240,000 people in the population.

"We are expanding that system to cover about 200 GP practices which cover a population of 1.2 million."

READ MORE: 'Carmageddon': Coronavirus stockpilers hit new B&M Robroyston - and Glaswegians react

She added: "The information that we get from that will allow us to assess and report on the spread and profile of coronavirus.

"That will be a far more robust indicator than the figures that we've been publishing so far."

She said authorities will continue to report the number of people who die.

People with symptoms of the coronavirus infection, which include repeated dry coughing and a fever or high temperature, are being told to self-isolate for seven days and only seek medical help if their condition worsens.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.