Nicola Sturgeon gives coronavirus update as mass gatherings of over 500 look set to be cancelled from next week

Nicola Sturgeon has given Holyrood her latest update on the coronavirus outbreak ahead of First Minister’s Questions.

Ms Sturgeon said it is “inappropriate that we continue as normal” and will recommend the cancellation of gatherings of more than 500 people to protect front-line services.

Ms Sturgeon said she would be advising the cancellations to start from Monday.

The First Minister also said that:

There is likely to be a sharp rise in cases in the regular 2pm update
There may also be further evidence of community transmission
Her view is that it is time to move into the ‘delay’ phase
The safety and wellbeing of NHS staff is vital at all times but particularly important now
More must be done to support individuals who are unable to work
She is not advising the closure of schools, colleges and universities, but that position will be under review

Speaking ahead of a Cobra meeting with other UK leaders, Ms Sturgeon said: “Mass gatherings are required to be policed, they require to have emergency ambulance cover, they require the services of our voluntary health services, and at a time when we need to be reducing the pressures on these front-line workers in order to free them up on the significant challenge that lies ahead, I do think it is inappropriate that we continue as normal.”

First Minister confirms at #FMQs that all consequential funding that arises from the Chancellor’s announcement yesterday on non-domestic rates will be passed on in full to support Scottish business.

— Kate Forbes MSP (@KateForbesMSP) March 12, 2020

Ms Sturgeon said any decision on whether to close schools has not yet been made, in light of the anticipated move from the contain phase amid the coronavirus outbreak, to the delay phase.

Explaining the reasons behind cancelling mass gatherings, Ms Sturgeon said: “That is principally to protect the resilience of our front-line workers, and we will continue to take decisions in collaboration with the other nations of the UK around issues like schools in the future, but driven very much by the scientific advice.”

Scotland currently has 36 confirmed cases of coronavirus.

Ms Sturgeon said that any restrictions being brought in would “be in place for potentially a number of weeks” and encouraged businesses to be “as flexible as possible”.