All 148 coronavirus test results in Scotland negative

The number of people tested for coronavirus in Scotland has risen by 42 in a day, but all have proved to be negative.

So far 148 people have been tested for the strain of coronavirus known as Covid-19, but none have tested positive.

Figures published by the Scottish Government on Thursday show there was an increase on the 106 who had been tested by Wednesday, which was up from 82 on Tuesday.

All tests from Scotland are now being processed at two laboratories, one in Glasgow and one in Edinburgh.

The Scottish Government said the new testing facilities, which launched on Monday, mean negative results can be returned quicker than previously when all samples were sent to London for screening.

Should a Scottish test result come back positive, the sample will be sent to Public Health England’s Colindale laboratory in London for a confirmatory test.

Across the UK, 2,521 people have been tested for Covid-19 so far, with 2,512 confirmed as negative and nine positive.

The UK’s ninth case of the virus was confirmed in London on Wednesday.

The unnamed woman, who is being treated at a specialist NHS centre at Guy’s and St Thomas’, contracted the virus in China before flying to the UK.

Meanwhile, more than 80 people quarantined at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral were allowed to leave on Thursday following 14 days in isolation.

The group were the first to be flown out of Wuhan city in China – the epicentre of the outbreak – by the Foreign Office and back to the UK.

The number of deaths from coronavirus in China has jumped to more than 1,350, with more than 60,000 recorded infections, as senior figures in Hubei province were dismissed amid criticism over the handling of the outbreak.