Nicola Sturgeon has hinted new national lockdown restictions could be imposed if local measures fail to stop the growing number of Covid cases in Scotland.
Seven councils in the Greater Glasgow area currently have bans on social gatherings indoors but the SNP leader suggested similar rules could be rolled out elsewhere.
Speaking at First Minister's Questions today, Sturgeon said the Scottish Government was "carefully considering" whether new lockdown rules were required "for all or parts of the country".
It comes as 290 people tested positive for Covid yesterday - the highest figure since May 1 - with the majority in the west of Scotland.
The “R number” - which shows how fast Covid is spreading - is now estimated to be as high as 1.4. It needs to be well below 1 to slow the spread.
Ministers in Holyrood and Westminster are currently grappling with how best to reduce the number of cases while ensuring schools and businesses can remain open safely.
Speaking at Holyrood, Sturgeon said: "We are considering carefully whether any further restrictions will be necessary for all or parts of the country, to help in the suppression of the virus."
Asked about people continuing to host parties in their homes - despite new regulations limiting social gatherings to six people - she added: "House parties right now are a danger, they are a danger to people's health and frankly are a danger to life.
"Police Scotland responded to 405 house parties last weekend, so that demonstrates that we still need to get the seriousness of this issue across to people."
She earlier revealed 290 people tested positive for coronavirus in Scotland in the past 24 hours.
Of the new cases, 112 are in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 52 in Lanarkshire and 47 in Lothian.
The SNP leader yesterday refused to rule-out a form of curfew being brought in - which could see pubs and restaurants forced to close early.
UK Government ministers are already considering introducing a 10pm or 11pm curfew on hospitality businesses if local measures are unable to bring the spread of the virus under control in England.
A poll published this week also found a majority of Scots believe pubs should be forced to shut at 9pm in a bid to curb coronavirus case numbers.
But such a move would be strongly contested by the hospitality industry, which has already warned that existing restrictions are causing mounting job losses and business closures.
