INFORMATION on Scotland's earliest known coronavirus outbreak is having to be "dragged out" of the Scottish Government, a Labour MSP has said.

Neil Findlay raised concerns over a lack of "openness and transparency".

It comes after it emerged a shopping centre in Livingston was unaware that a deep clean of its Nike store was related to a coronavirus outbreak.

A total of 25 people contracted Covid-19 following a Nike conference at Edinburgh's Hilton Carlton Hotel on February 26 and 27, including eight who were resident in Scotland.

However the public were never told about the outbreak at the time, and it has since emerged dozens of people who came into contact with delegates were never traced.

This includes 20 Lloyds Banking Group employees who shared facilities at the hotel.

Nicola Sturgeon has denied mistakes were made and categorically rejected any claims of a cover-up.

The First Minister said the outbreak was never publicised due to patient confidentiality.

In a letter to Mr Findlay, a representative of Livingston Designer Outlet said: "We were advised this was a precautionary deep clean in line with other stores and offices across the UK and other Nike hubs.  

"No information was forthcoming from the company in relation to specific health concerns or staff illness. 

"No other stores within Livingston Designer Outlet closed for cleaning."

The MSP said: "These latest revelations from Livingston Designer Outlet are very concerning. 

"It seems that management at the shopping centre had no idea that the deep clean took place as a result of a coronavirus outbreak.

"We are only finding this out now following a TV documentary, several newspaper articles and MSP letters. 

"The information is having to be dragged out of those involved. 

"This is not the openness and transparency we keep hearing about from ministers."