Covid in Scotland: Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville tests positive

Image source, PA Media

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville is self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19.

Ms Somerville saying she has lost her sense of smell.

It is not clear if she has recently met in person with other members of the Scottish cabinet or MSPs.

"After losing my sense of smell yesterday I went for a Covid test which has come back positive," Ms Somerville said.

"I'll now self isolate and continue to work from home. Keep yourself and others safe and please take a test if you have any symptoms."

Under the current guidance, people who test positive for Covid should isolate for 10 days from the day symptoms began.

New cases

Ms Somerville is SNP MSP for Dunfermline and replaced John Swinney as Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills after the election.

A total of 3,190 new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Scotland over the last 24 hours, according to the latest government statistics.

It is the fourth day in a row that the number of new cases has been above 3,000, but lower than the 3,613 recorded on Friday.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 8,070 people have died after recently testing positive for Covid.