Number of virus cluster cases probed

A NUMBER of small coronavirus clusters in the greater Glasgow area is being probed.

Nicola Sturgeon said that the specific circumstances would be looked at before any decision would be taken on whether actions were needed.

The latest figures showed 160 new cases, the highest daily total for three months.

It was an increase on the 123 cases on Sunday.

In included 69 in Greater Glasgow and Clyde and 27 in Lanarkshire.

The First Minister said it was being looked into whether the cases in both areas were linked.

The First Minister said: “The number of cases we are seeing right now is a reminder to all of us the virus is still a very real risk, it is a development that concerns me and it is one we are taking very seriously.

“We mustn’t lose sight of how important it is if we are to keep schools open, build economic recovery and retain a bit more normality in our lives that we do continue to suppress the virus and push as close to elimination of it as we possibly can.”

Ms Sturgeon added not all of the new cases were linked to larger outbreaks, saying the rise of cases in Greater Glasgow and Clyde “seems to reflect a number of small clusters, rather than one or two more significant outbreaks”.

She said an incident management team was also looking at a cluster of 22 cases in Ayrshire and Arran, many of which she said “seem to be linked to indoor gatherings that took place the previous weekend”.

Ms Sturgeon added: “We have got to be careful of using lockdown as a one- size fits all, blanket approach.

“Steps have to be tailored to the specific causes of the outbreaks.”