Testing Is Ramped Up As Omicron Cases Rise

9 Scots have new variant from one private event

- Chris McCall

THE nine cases of the Omicron variant in Scotland are all linked to a single private event 10 days ago, Nicola Sturgeon has revealed.

The First Minister confirmed there were five cases in Lanarkshire and four in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area - all linked to the private event on November 20.

And she said, though it was unlikely, the Government was investigating any possible link with the COP26 summit in Glasgow, which finished on November 13.

All nine are all self-isolating at home and have not required hospital treatment.

In a statement to MSPs, the SNP leader announced she expected more cases of the variant linked to the event to be found soon.

Sturgeon did not share details of the nature of the “private event” but did reveal those attending had not recently travelled overseas - so it looks like they caught the bug in Scotland.