Three new coronavirus cases confirmed in Scotland

The new patients are in the Forth Valley, Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and Grampian health board areas and all are contacts of known cases.

Scotland's Chief Medical Officer Dr Catherine Calderwood said the patients are currently clinically well and are receiving appropriate care.

The first case in Scotland was confirmed on Sunday evening in Tayside, with a further two cases diagnosed in Ayrshire and Grampian on Wednesday.

The cases take the current confirmed total across the UK to 90, after the biggest day-on-day increase in UK coronavirus cases of 36 was reported on Wednesday. Officials have warned a UK epidemic is looking likely''.

Dr Calderwood said: With all these cases, our thoughts are with those diagnosed and their families. Scotland is well equipped to deal with this kind of infection and we are doing everything we can to contain the virus at this stage and minimise the risk to the public.

Clinicians are now conducting contact tracing, the process of gathering details of the places those who have tested positive visited and the people they have been in contact with.

Close contact involves either face-to-face contact or spending more than 15 minutes within two metres of an infected person. The risk is very low in situations where someone may have passed a patient on the street or in a shop.

Health protection teams will contact those who are at risk from the current cases - those who are not contacted are not at risk.

We can all play our part to limit the spread of the virus by washing our hands frequently for 20 seconds, as well as always carrying tissues and using them to catch coughs and sneezes, then putting the tissue in a bin, and don't touch your face.''