Three cases have already been detected in England.
Six cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant have been identified in Scotland.
According to the Scottish government, four cases are in the Lanarkshire area and two have been identified in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.
Contact tracing is being undertaken to establish the origin of the virus and any individuals that have been in contact with the six confirmed cases.
In a statement, Scotland’s health secretary Humza Yousaf said: “This will be a worrying time for the six people now identified as having the new variant. All will receive expert help and support and Public Health Scotland will undertake enhanced contact tracing in all cases. This will help establish the origin of the virus and any further individuals they have come into contact with in recent weeks.
“There is still much to learn about the Omicron variant. Questions remain about its severity, transmissibility and response to treatments or vaccines and scientists are working at pace to provide additional information. Until more is known we must be cautious and do everything we can to minimise the risk of spreading infection.
He added that Scotland was falling in line with the UK government’s border controls, such as the expanded red list of countries and the requirement for all those entering the country to take a PCR test on arrival.
Related links:
- Third person infected with Omicron coronavirus variant in UK
- Boris Johnson announces raft of new measures as two cases of Omicron variant detected in UK
- Cardiff Blues remain in Cape Town as new Covid strain confirmed in Welsh squad
