Another Ayr secondary school is dealing with an outbreak of coronavirus as a community cluster of cases continues.
Queen Margaret Academy has become the third school this week linked to positive cases of COVID-19.
It comes two days after Ayrshire Live first revealed that up to 100 pupils were self-isolating due to an outbreak of COVID-19 at Belmont Academy.
Yesterday we confirmed a cluster of cases had been identified in Kincaidston, with pupils who normally attend Kincaidston Primary testing positive for COVID-19.
A number of pupils at Queen Margaret have now been sent home to quarantine for 10 days after being identified as close contacts.
Health officials are now dealing with a Covid cluster within the Kincaidston and Castlehill neighbourhood with cases sharply on the rise.
The area sits as the Covid capital of South Ayrshire with nine cases confirmed between April 14 and April 20.
NHS Ayrshire and Arran's Test & Protect team are now scrambling to contain the virus.
The outbreak comes as Ayrshire is set to welcome back non-essential services next week as mainland Scotland enters Level 3 lockdown.
Lynne McNiven, director of public health at NHS Ayrshire and Arran, said: "NHS Ayrshire & Arran’s Test & Protect team is conducting contact tracing within Queen Margaret Academy in the South Ayrshire Council area.
"A number of individuals are being contacted by the Test and Protect team and told to self-isolate at home for 10 days.
"We appreciate this is a very worrying time. However, we would like to assure people that every measure is being taken to protect pupils and staff.
"To respect and maintain patient confidentiality it is not possible to release any further information at this time.
"We would like to remind people of the symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19): new persistent cough; high temperature; and / or loss of taste and smell. Anyone who develops any of these symptoms should book a test and self-isolate immediately."
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