Six Omicron Covid cases linked to Steps concert at Glasgow's OVO Hydro

A scientist prepares a sample for Covid-19 testing at Glasgow Lighthouse facility

The number of Covid cases involving the Omicron variant in Scotland has risen to 29.

A total of 16 new cases have been recorded in the past 24 hours, including in the Highland, Grampian and Forth Valley health boards for the first time.

The cases are now also no longer linked to a single event, with several different sources of infection across the country.

One is a Steps concert at the OVO Hydro arena in Glasgow on November 22, to which six cases are linked.

No cases to date have been identified from the event the following night at the same venue, and health officials say the risk to those who attended the gigs is low.

Only those who are contacted by Test & Protect or develop symptoms will be required to isolate.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is now home to 11 Omicron cases, while NHS Lanarkshire has nine.

Three cases have been recorded in the Highland area, one in Grampian and five in Forth Valley.

The Omicron outbreak in Scotland started in Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Lanarkshire, with nine cases linked to a single private event on November 20.

Sturgeon said: “The number of Omicron cases now being reported in Scotland is rising, and cases are no longer all linked to a single event, but to several different sources including a Steps concert at the Hydro on 22 November.

“This confirms our view that there is now community transmission of this variant within Scotland. Given the nature of transmission we would expect to see cases rise – perhaps significantly – in the days ahead.

“However, health protection teams are continuing work through contact tracing, isolation and testing to slow the spread as far as possible while we learn more about the new variant’s impact. Ministers are also keeping the situation under daily review.”

The numbers

Scotland has recorded 16 coronavirus-linked deaths and 2,432 new cases in the past 24 hours, according to the latest data.

It means the death toll under this daily measure, of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days, is 9,634.

The daily test positivity rate was 7.6%, according to data published by the Scottish Government on Friday, up from 7.4% the previous day.

There were 652 people in hospital with recently confirmed Covid-19 as of Wednesday night, down 28 in 24 hours and, of these, 46 people were in intensive care, down two.

So far, 4,350,133 people have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccination, 3,954,992 have had a second, and 1,790,728 have been given a third dose or booster.