UP to 20 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in connection with an outbreak at a call centre in Lanarkshire – as five businesses related to the spike have been named.
Speaking at the Scottish Government’s coronavirus briefing, Nicola Sturgeon said 15 positive cases have been identified of people who work at the Sitel call centre at Eurocentral, where staff work on Track and Trace for NHS England.
A further five family members and close contacts of workers have tested positive, she added.
Ms Sturgeon said since the outbreak emerged on Sunday, all Sitel workers have been told to self-isolate and to get tested.
As of Wednesday morning, 390 test results out of 400 overall have been returned.
READ MORE: Five pubs, cafes and shops linked to Lanarkshire call centre outbreak
The First Minister listed five premises in locations around Lanarkshire and Glasgow that Sitel staff who have tested positive were linked to before they were aware they had the virus.
These are Owen’s Bar in Coatbridge; the Railway Tavern and Merlins Bar in Motherwell; Costa Coffee in Carfin, and End Clothing in Glasgow.
Thanking these places for their co-operation, Ms Sturgeon said they have been checked by environmental health and measures in place such as protective equipment and cleaning mean the “risk of transmission is therefore low”.
She added: “I also ask people who might have attended these locations over the last week or so to be extra vigilant, to follow all guidance and to isolate and book a test if you do experience any symptoms.
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“I’m saying this not because I think there is a real concern of transmission there but simply as an added precaution.
“This outbreak though should be a very clear reminder to all of us that Covid hasn’t gone away.
“It doesn’t take much for very small numbers of cases to become much bigger numbers.”
She praised the work of Test and Protect workers and public health teams working to contain outbreak, adding: "Each and every one of us has a part of play in keeping this virus at bay."
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