Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has warned the Western Isles may be placed under level four lockdown due to a rise in covid cases.
The SNP minister said a decision would be made today.
Mainland Scotland has been in level four - the tier with the toughest restrictions - for weeks, but most of the Western Isles has been in the tier below.
At a media briefing, Freeman said there were six new cases of coronavirus in the Western Isles today, on top of nine yesterday.
She added that the population is "relatively small" and said proportionately these numbers are "high".
Freeman said covid is placing "significant strain" on hospital capacity, with the hospital in Stornoway having reached "full capacity".
She said: "We are urgently examining whether the whole of the Western Isles will now move from level 3 to level 4."
This is a breaking news story - we'll bring you updates, pictures and video as it happens.
For the latest news and breaking news visit dailyrecord.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter @Record_Politics and get updates from the team: @paulhutcheon, @Torcuil and @andydphilip.
We're also on Facebook - your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the Daily Record, Sunday Mail and Record Online
Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you.
