A food processing plant in Coupar Angus has been closed "with immediate effect" after three members of staff tested positive for Covid-19.

Two other workers at the 2 Sisters facility in Coupar Angus are awaiting the results of a test for the virus, however, the move is thought to be temporary.

2 Sisters stated that the closure of the factory was "the responsible action to take."

NHS Tayside Public Health was alerted to the outbreak on Sunday.

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Management at the poultry factory, which employs about 1,000 people said in a statement: "Our priority remains the safety and wellbeing of all colleagues, and we will be reviewing the situation closely in partnership with the relevant regional and national Scottish Covid-19 taskforces before we restart production.

"The facility had previously operated for six months without a single positive Covid-19 case recorded."

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: "Where clusters of cases develop we must find them and act quickly to prevent further spread.

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"Public health teams in Tayside are responding quickly to this outbreak and we are liaising closely with them, Food Standards Scotland and Perth and Kinross Council to discuss all appropriate measures to contain this cluster."

At her press briefing, Nicola Sturgeon said that clusters in Coatbridge and the north-east of Glasgow are still under investigation and information will be released as it is gathered.

She said: “These clusters obviously show that this virus is still out there and it continues to pose a very real and serious risk.”