HEALTH officials are holding an emergency meeting to consider further restrictions potentially being imposed on the Greater Glasgow area – amid a stark warning that numbers are “going in the wrong direction”.

This afternoon, the National Incident Management Team was meeting to discuss the growing number of positive test results in Glasgow and Lanarkshire.

Of 775 new positive cases across Scotland announced by the First Minister today, 164 were in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area - while 102 new cases were confirmed in Lanarkshire.

Ms Sturgeon said that the incident management team was “taking a look obviously at a range of issues, but in particular, at the current situation in Glasgow and Lanarkshire”.

Glasgow and Lanarkshire, like the rest of Scotland have a ban on people visiting other people's homes.

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Scotland’s national clinical director, Jason Leitch, warned that “the numbers across the whole of Europe and in Scotland are going in the wrong direction”.

He said: “3,573 people have caught Covid in this country in the past seven days and tested positive. We have 19 patients in intensive care and an increase in hospital admissions.

“We’ve also had 11 deaths in 48 hours. Our per 100,000 rate is 63.1 in Scotland and Glasgow city is at the top of that unfortunate league table.”

Professor Leitch warned that experts would “look at the numbers, look at the trends" in hotspot areas. in Lanarkshire, in Lothian, in Glasgow”.

He added: “Many of those positive cases are still in halls of residence and in the student population. That will leak into a more vulnerable community and you’re not immune if you are a student with a serious illness.

“All of the numbers are going in the wrong direction. However, two weeks ago we put in place really quite severe household restrictions – they will not have played through into the numbers yet and I am hopeful they will.

“I cannot guarantee it and it relies on each of us following the rules in order to drive those numbers down.

“If the national IMT give advice to Gregor (Smith) and I and then we give advice to the First Minister and the Cabinet, then that will take its course.”

Other parts of the United Kingdom are also experiencing spikes in the number of cases.

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Northern Ireland recorded almost 1,000 new Covid-19 infections in a 24-hour period on Friday, the highest daily total since the pandemic began.

The 934 cases reported by the Department of Health is more than double the highest daily total prior to Friday.

Boris Johnson suggested that a resurgence in cases across all parts of the UK is down to a "fraying of people's discipline" over the summer months.

The Prime Minister stressed that compliance with the virus restrictions had been "high at first" but then "everybody got a bit, kind of complacent and blasé".

With extra restrictions extended across parts of north east England, almost 17 million people in the UK, around one in four, face additional measures to try and curb the surge in cases, on top of national rules.

In order to combat the spike in infections, Scots who have recovered from the virus are being urged to donate blood in order to increase stocks of “convalescent plasma”.

Their blood could contain antibodies which can help treat current patients of the virus.

The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) says “time is of the essence” when it comes to such donations as antibodies can fade after four months.

Proffesor Leitch said: “It is vital there are (blood) supplies for patients in Scotland at any time, but it is particularly important right now.

“As health services restart, the demand for blood across Scotland is also increasing.

“Blood donations are needed, especially as we move towards winter.

“So if you have never donated, or if you haven’t recently donated, I would urge you to contact the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service and make an appointment to donate.

He stressed safety measures and strict social distancing are in place at donation centres, and sessions are running by appointment only.

“The blood transfusion service is also working to advance the fight against Covid-19 by collecting convalescent plasma at the donor sessions,” Prof Leitch added.

“Research is showing that the blood of someone who has recently recovered from Covid-19 may contain antibodies which we can use for treating people in hospital who are seriously unwell with the virus."