All nine cases of the omicron variant found so far in Scotland are linked to a “single private event”, Nicola Sturgeon has disclosed.

The First Minister said they were all linked to an event on November 20 and “we fully expect” more cases emerged that are linked to the gathering.

All nine were tested on or around November 23 and have been self-isolating at home. 

None has required hospital treatment.

In her weekly Covid-19 update to the Scottish Parliament, Ms Sturgeon reiterated that “the lack of any known travel or overseas connection to these cases suggests that there is community transmission of omicron in Scotland”.

But she said the fact that all the cases were linked to one event suggested that “this may still be limited” and there was nothing in a review of positive cases conducted by Public Health Scotland (PHS) to suggest that omicron was “sustained or widespread”.

Highly likely more cases will emerge

PHS has examined samples dating back to November 1 to identify any with an “S gene drop-out”, which the delta variant does not have and is associated with omicron. Full genomic sequencing is then carried out on those samples showing this.

Ms Sturgeon said she considered it “highly likely – indeed almost certain – that more cases, perhaps many more cases, will emerge”.

However, she said she remained more optimistic about the situation than a few weeks ago thanks to cases and hospitalisations continuing to fall in Scotland.

Ms Sturgeon told MSPs: “None of these individuals – as far as we know – has recent travel history to or known links with others who have travelled to the countries in Southern Africa where the variant was originally detected.

“However, while the contact tracing exercise is still ongoing, health protection teams have established that all nine cases are linked.

“They all trace back to a single private event on November 20. 

“Indeed, we fully expect that there will be more cases identified over the coming days that are also linked to this event.”