Chief medical officer confirms Scotland’s first case of community transmission of coronavirus

Scotland’s first case of community transmission of coronavirus has been confirmed as the number of patients with Covid-19 rises to 36.

Chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood confirmed the case, in a person who hasn’t travelled to another virus-hit area, this afternoon.

Ms Calderwood also stressed that “we are still in the containment phase” despite the highest day-to-day increase in cases seen so far.

She said: “We have identified the first case of community transmission in Scotland which is unrelated to contact or travel. This was identified through our enhanced surveillance scheme.

“It is important to emphasise that we are still in the containment phase. This case was to be expected and highlights the importance of the additional measures we have put in place to identify positive cases beyond self-identification.”

The latest daily 2pm update from the Scottish Government said that, of the 2316 tests carried out north of the border so far, 36 had come back positive.

The NHS Lothian area has the highest number of cases, with eight confirmed, while there are six in NHS Grampian and five in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS board area.

A further four cases have been detected in the Lanarkshire area, as well as three in Ayrshire and Arran, and two each in NHS Borders, NHS Fife, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Shetland and NHS Tayside.

A total of 456 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the UK as of 9am on Wednesday, up from 373 at the same point on Tuesday, the Department of Health said.

Earlier today, the Chancellor promised the NHS “whatever it needs” in terms of funding to tackle the spread of coronavirus, as the number of UK cases more than doubled in just four days.

Rishi Sunak set out plans for the health service in his Budget and pledged security and support for those who are sick and unable to work due to the spread of Covid-19.