Three cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Orkney in the last 24 hours as a new outbreak is investigated across the islands.
A total of 47 news cases of the virus have been recorded in Scotland, with 26 of those also in the Grampian area.
A potential link between the cases in Orkney and the ongoing outbreak in Aberdeen is being probed.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon urged people not be complacent and to “isolate immediately” if they have symptoms.
She said: “While Orkney had a number of cases at the beginning of the pandemic, it has had very few since so I would urge everyone on the islands to guard against complacency.
“If you have what might be symptoms of coronavirus, please isolate immediately and make immediate arrangements to be tested.
“We are also investigating if this Orkney based cluster potentially includes a link to the Aberdeen outbreak.”
Asked by STV News if a local lockdown is being considered on the island, Sturgeon said: “I don’t want to get ahead of where we are.”
The incident management team is meeting in Orkney later on Thursday.
The new confirmed cases come after NHS Orkney said it is “profoundly concerned” coronavirus is spreading rapidly across the islands after nine people were linked to an outbreak.
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