NICOLA Sturgeon has said the current coronavirus lockdown will last “for some weeks to come yet”, as she warned a premature return to normal life could prove fatal. 

The First Minister said she didn’t want the measures to last “a single minute longer” than necessary, but nor did want to see the "virus spiral out of control, see our NHS overwhelmed, and see more lives lost".

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab later said at the UK daily briefing that the cabinet would not consider its plan for lifting the lockdown until the end of next week.

He said the measures would stay in place until the data “clearly shows we have moved beyond the peak”. 

On the 100th day since the first case of Covid-19 was reported in China, Ms Sturgeon held a virtual session of First Minister’s Questions with her fellow Holyrood leaders. 

She began by revealing the number of confirmed deaths from coronavirus in Scotland had risen by a record 81 over the last 24 hours, taking the total to 447.

Speaking from St Andrew’s House, she said the figures were likely to be an underestimate.

The total number of people in Scotland who have so far tested positive for Covid-19 was 4957 as of 9am on Thursday, a rise of 392 overnight.

There were 1781 patients in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, up 10 overnight.

Of these 212 were in intensive care, a rise of 2.

Scottish Tory leader Jackson Carlaw asked when the current restrictions on travel and commerce might end.

He said: “We realise that the key thing is to flatten the curve, to reduce acute pressure on the NHS, and we know for the moment it’s vital that all of us stay at home. 

“But people do want to look to the future as much as we can.”

He asked the First Minister the exit would occur “in lockstep” with the rest of the UK.

Ms Sturgeon said: “I certainly hope the UK will be able to come out of these lockdown measures in an orderly way that protects health, and is mindful of the other impacts, in a unified way. Although we do, across the different parts of the UK, have to be mindful of the spread of the virus in the different nations and regions.

“Let me be very clear. I don’t want these measures to be in place for a single minute longer than they have to be, but equally I don’t want us to come out of them prematurely, in a way that will do damage, that we see the virus spiral out of control, see out NHS overwhelmed, and see more lives lost. So it’s right and proper that we stick with it as long as necessary.

“I want to be clear to people. There is no likelihood or prospect of these measures being lifted after the Easter weekend. 

“Corba [the UK emergency unit] is likely to meet again later next week. 

“I would certainly support that, to think about the exit strategy, what that might look like, but it is likely that the restrictions and measures are going to be in place for some weeks to come yet.

“And again I would appeal to people to stick with this. We are not asking people to change their lives in such a fundamental way for no reason. I don’t want to be doing it, but it is vital for the health reasons I think we all understand.”

On Wednesday, Ms Sturgeon warned it would be a "monumental mistake" to ease the coronavirus lockdown measures too early and said parents should not expect schools to reopen any time soon.

Ms Sturgeon also predicted Scotland would be left dealing with a "mental health legacy" of coronavirus once the disease once under control.

She said the effects of isolation would be felt long after the pandemic had peaked.

Responding to a question from Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie about possible counselling services for NHS staff and other mental health work, she said: "Not just in the immediate phase of dealing with this, but I suspect for a long time afterwards, we're going to be dealing with a mental health legacy of it.

"We have to make sure that the services that provide the help that people need are there and that means expanding access to counselling now, but looking ahead to make sure that these services are appropriate in the future as well."

She said more funding was going to expand services online, including the Breathing Space service, and that the mental health of people across Scotland, particularly those in the health and social care sector, was "very high on the priority list of the Scottish Government".

Before Boris Johnson became infected with the disease, he committed to review the measures after three weeks, which will be reached on Monday, but Downing Street has said it will now take place "on or around" that point.

Emergency legislation designed to assist with Covid-19's containment must also be reviewed at least once every 21 days - with the first due to be carried out by April 16 at the latest.