Covid in Scotland: 'Concern' over Clackmannanshire rate increase

Clackmannanshire has overtaken Glasgow City as having the highest Covid rate in Scotland.

New figures show the region had a seven-day average rate of 139.7 cases per 100,000 people compared to Glasgow City's 136.8.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said Clackmannanshire was one of the local authorities "giving us a little bit of concern".

Glasgow is the only part of Scotland under level three Covid restrictions.

The number of cases in the city is still increasing albeit at a slower rate than previously. In the seven days to 21 May Glasgow saw 866 positive tests.

In the same period in Clackmannanshire there were 72 positive tests, more than half of them in the Tullibody area.

The case rate in East Renfrewshire appears to have stabilised.

Mr Yousaf said: "Clackmannanshire has a really small population, so even four, five, six households testing positive can really make the numbers look like they're shooting up.

"But it is a concerning situation, I'm not going to lie to you about that.

"It's one of the local authorities we're looking at and speaking to local health directors, can it be contained and can it be managed?"

Residents in the Tullibody have been encouraged to take a Covid test and extra test facilities have been set up.

NHS Forth Valley said last week that specialist testing suggested that some of these cases may be linked to cases in Glasgow City.

Three primary schools and a nursery school in Tullibody have returned to remote learning until next Monday as a result of an increase in positive cases.

Children and staff at the schools have also been asked to self-isolate as a precaution.