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Fife MSP Shirley-Anne Somerville isolates after testing positive for Covid

Education minister Shirley-Anne Sommerville
Education minister Shirley-Anne Sommerville recently visited schools as exam results were announced

The Scottish Government’s education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has been forced to self-isolate after testing positive for Covid.

Ms Somerville, who represents Dunfermline in the Scottish Parliament, said she took a test after losing her sense of smell on Saturday.

The Fife MSP will now have to self-isolate for 10 days according to the coronavirus public health guidance.

Urging people to get tested if they develop Covid symptoms, Shirley-Anne Somerville said: After losing my sense of smell yesterday I went for a Covid test which has come back positive.

“I’ll now self isolate and continue to work from home.

“Keep yourself and others safe and please take a test if you have any symptoms.”

Former Dunfermline councillor William Campbell shared his best wishes to the SNP MSP alongside other users on social media.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon appointed Ms Somerville as the Scottish education secretary in May 2021, replacing Deputy First Minister John Swinney.

It comes after 3,464 new cases of coronavirus were reported on Saturday by public health officials in Scotland.

Infections have risen after restrictions eased earlier in August, with a case positivity rate of 10.9% reported on August 21.

Three new deaths were also recorded amongst people who had recently tested positive for the virus.

Over 3,400 cases were reported on Saturday

Meanwhile the government said 320 people were in hospital and 32 people were receiving treatment in intensive care units across Scotland.

Saturday was the third day in a row that the number of cases exceeded three thousand, the highest daily increase report in weeks.

Eighty of the new cases were in Dundee, whilst 62 were reported in Angus. Fife recorded 185 new positive results, the highest in Tayside and Fife.

It was also confirmed 4,075,555 people have received the first dose of the Covid vaccination, whilst 3,541,708 have received their second dose.