Twelve coronavirus cases with links to St Andrews University have now been identified.
NHS Fife say the cases involve both students and members of university staff who have been confirmed as positive for Covid-19 in the period from September 1 to September 24.
While there is evidence of a potential link between some cases, the figure also includes a number of sporadic cases which have resulted from prolonged close contact with positive cases out with the Fife Health Board area.
It is understood that 10 students and two members of staff are affected, and, of the five new cases notified this week, two are sporadic and three are linked to community transmission.
News of the rise in positive cases comes after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon urged students to avoid pubs, restaurants and parties this weekend in a bid to curb the spread of the virus.
A spokesperson for NHS Fife: “NHS Fife’s Health Protection Team is working closely with colleagues at the University of St Andrews to prevent further infection and mitigate the effect of any positive cases which do occur.
“Contact tracers from the Test and Protect Team continue to identify and trace the known contacts of the any positive cases so they can be instructed to self-isolate to prevent onward spread of the virus.
“There is no evidence at this stage to suggest any wider transmission of the virus within the university or indeed the wider community, and the risk of contracting the virus continues to be low.
“Anyone experiencing the well-established symptoms of COVID-19, such as a high temperature; a new, continuous cough; or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste, is urged to arrange to be testing using the UK Government Citizens’ Portal or by calling 0800 028 2816.”
A local online support hub has been created to provide information on testing for Covid-19 and updates on the pandemic at https://coronavirus.nhsfife.org.
