Twelve new coronavirus cases have been recorded in Dundee in the past day, with cases in Angus and Perthshire also surging, according to the latest statistics.
A breakdown of the latest Public Health Scotland data shows that 27 people across Tayside tested positive for Covid-19 from Wednesday into Thursday.
Of this number: 12 were recorded in the Dundee City Council area, seven were in Angus, and eight in Perth and Kinross.
No new cases were recorded in Fife.
Eight people tested positive in the Dundee area from Tuesday into Wednesday, along with two in Angus, and a further two in Perth and Kinross. Two new cases were also recorded in Fife during this time period.
It is the fourth day running that Dundee has experienced an increase in positive coronavirus cases – with the daily figure at its highest level since May 16.
Across the whole of Scotland there were 77 new coronavirus cases in the past day, compared to 50 the day before. Thursday’s figures is the highest daily total in Scotland in three months.
The total number of people who have tested positive for the virus in the country since the beginning of the pandemic is now 19,534.
It comes after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon revealed a total of 43 positive coronavirus cases are now connected with a Coupar Angus chicken factory outbreak. This figure includes 37 workers and six connections.
Speaking at the Scottish Government’s daily coronavirus briefing, Ms Sturgeon said the most recent estimate was that the R-number in Scotland “could currently be above one”.
She said ministers are “considering carefully and urgently whether further restrictions are necessary” following the outbreak in Perthshire and the Aberdeen lockdown.
It is not yet known whether the Dundee and Angus cases are linked to the Coupar Angus cluster.
Ms Sturgeon also announced Scotland would remain in stage three out of lockdown for at least another three weeks – although gyms and swimming pools are expected to reopened from August 31.
