New data has shown that the Omicron variant is in the country for at most ten days.
Nicola Sturgeon announced that all nine cases in Scotland were traced back on Wednesday, November 20, 2012.
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This means that the variant of the mutant was already spreading in the UK just four days before the world was alerted about the danger brewing in South Africa.
The First Minister stated that contact tracing had been completed and more cases would be revealed in the coming days.
This, she told the Scottish Parliament, suggested that Omicron was being transmitted in communities throughout Scotland. However, it could still be transmitted elsewhere. “limited”.
Ms Sturgeon stated that none of the individuals mentioned has a recent travel history or any connections to others who have traveled to southern Africa, where the variant was first detected.
“However the contact tracing exercise continues, health protection team have confirmed that all nine cases were linked.
“All of them can be traced back to one private event, on 20 November.
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“Indeed, we fully expect that there will be more cases identified over the coming days that are also linked to this event.”
Experts warn that hundreds of more cases will soon emerge in England and Scotland.
In total there are 22 confirmed cases, but labs are thought to be probing hundreds of samples.
Scotland has had three more infections by the mutant variant of the virus this morning. This is in addition to six yesterday.
They can be found in the Glasgow and Lanarkshire areas.
England has 13 confirmed cases. Nine of these were found in London.
One came from Westminster. Eight others are currently being isolated in Barnet Brentwood Camden Haringey Westminster Wandsworth.
The following five cases have been reported in England: Liverpool, Nottingham, Sutton Brentwood and North Norfolk.
It was reported that another case of student suicide in Nottingham had been reported this afternoon, although the UK Health Security Agency has not confirmed it.
The announcement comes after South Africa’s warning last Wednesday about the mutation revealed that the variant had been found in the Netherlands.
Omicron was detected in samples by the Nertherlands RIVM health center from November 19 to 23.
Yesterday afternoon, the Health Secretary spoke to the Commons: “There have now been five confirmed case in England and six in Scotland. “We anticipate cases to rise in the coming days.
“The new variant is spreading around the globe – it has been reported in Austria and Belgium, Germany. It has also been reported in Italy, Portugal, and the Netherlands.
This variant could have given the virus more legs in this race between virus and vaccines.
“Our strategy is to buy time and strengthen defences while scientists learn more.”
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Today face masks in shops and public transport become compulsory along with PCR tests for international arrivals.
The new restrictions were imposed at 4am after growing concern about the Omicron superstrain, of which there are 14 UK cases.
Gillian Keegan, the Care Minister, said this morning that she would prefer the government to put new curbs in place. “overreact than underreact”.
She said, however, that Christmas is. “on track”And urged people to keep their winter plans alive, declaring parties safe and nativities secure.
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