The first cases of the Omicron variant in Scotland are a 'wake-up call', Scottish Labour has warned.
Health spokesperson Jackie Baillie urged the Scottish Government to take action in light of the new cases, which were confirmed this morning.
Two have been identified in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, with four in Lanarkshire.
"The confirmation of cases of this new variant in Scotland is a wake-up call," she said today. “We do not yet know the true scale of the risk presented by the Omicron variant, but it must prompt action from the Scottish Government.
“Test and Protect has seen months of lowered expectations, with many attempts at contact tracing simply abandoned."
The comments came as deputy first minister John Swinney said that some of the cases identified in Scotland have no travel history - which suggests there is a degree of community transmission.
READ MORE: Emergency Covid briefing to be held today as Scotland records first cases of Omicron variant
John Swinney said that some of the Omicron variant cases identified in Scotland have no travel history, which suggests there is a degree of community transmission.
He said: “We obviously have some travel history on some of the cases, I don’t have all of that detail available to me at this stage, but on some of the cases we are aware that there is no travel history involved on some of the cases.
“So what that tells us is that there must be a degree of community transmission of this particular strain of the virus in the absence of direct travel connection for some of the cases in the southern African area.
“So that obviously opens up further challenges for us in terms of interrupting the spread of this particular strain of the virus and that will be the focus of the contact tracing operation that is under way already.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will today hold an emergency Covid briefing in light of the new cases.
The First Minister will be joined by chief medical officer Gregor Smith this morning at 10.30am.
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Health secretary Humza Yousaf says it is a "worrying time" for the people who have been infected.
He said: “There is still much to learn about the Omicron variant. Questions remain about its severity, transmissibility and response to treatments or vaccines and scientists are working at pace to provide additional information.
"Until more is known we must be cautious and do everything we can to minimise the risk of spreading infection."
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