Three cases of the worrying new mutant Brazilian variant of coronavirus have been identified in Scotland.
Health officials confirmed today that there has been six confirmed cases across the UK, one of which they have been unable to identify.
The Scottish cases are all said to be from passengers who flew from Brazil onto London, before then getting a connecting flight to Aberdeen.
You can find all of the latest coronavirus news on our LIVE blog here.
All of the cases have been confirmed to be self-isolating since they returned home, with the other remaining cases are in England.
Health protection teams, including local clinicians, have assessed each case and their contacts and are arranging protective measures for this small number of potentially exposed individuals.
However, with one of the individuals unable to be traces, an urgent alert has been issued by health officials.
The alert states that anyone who took a Covid test on February 12 or 13 and has not received a result, or did not complete their test registration card, is being asked to call 119 in England or 0300 303 2713 in Scotland as soon as possible.
Clinical and trial data continues to be assessed to examine how the new variant may respond to current Covid-19 vaccines.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: "The identification of this new variant is a concern but we are taking every possible precaution.
"We have identified these cases thanks to our use of advanced sequencing capabilities which means we are finding more variants and mutations than many other countries and are therefore able to take action quickly.
"This new variant demonstrates how serious Covid is and reinforces the need to minimise the spread of the virus.
"We would encourage everyone across the country to adhere to the necessary public health restrictions by staying at home except for essential purposes as this is the single best way of staying safe and stopping the spread of this virus.
"It is now also illegal for anyone to travel to or from Scotland unless it is for an essential reason.
"The Covid vaccination programme is one of three key ways we are working to beat this virus, along with our expanded testing programme to identify cases and break chains of transmission, and the important lockdown restrictions everyone in Scotland must follow.
"These three strands - following expert advice and guidance to suppress the virus, using our expanded testing programme to identify cases and break chains of transmission and rolling out vaccination as fast as supplies allow - are the three critical actions that will see us move, step by step, to protect the public, save lives and a brighter year ahead."
