NICOLA Sturgeon is to hold an emergency and unscheduled Covid briefing after six cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant were identified in Scotland.

The Scottish Government said that four of the Omicron variant cases identified in Scotland are in the Lanarkshire area, with two in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.

Public Health Scotland and local health protection teams are working together and contact tracing is being undertaken to establish the origin of the virus and any individuals they have come into contact with.

Scotland’s Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “This will be a worrying time for the six people now identified as having the new variant. All will receive expert help and support and Public Health Scotland will undertake enhanced contact tracing in all cases.

READ MORE: Scotland and Wales demand four-nations approach to fighting Omicron variant

“This will help establish the origin of the virus and any further individuals they have come into contact with in recent weeks.

“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.”

Yousaf said that all close contacts of suspected Omicron cases will be advised to self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of their vaccination status.

The news led the First Minister to schedule an emergency briefing at 10:30am.

She will be joined by Dr Gregor Smith, Scotland’s chief medical officer.

The update will be shown live on the Government's Youtube channel. There will be a news special on BBC One Scotland showing the briefing.

Writing on Twitter, the First Minister said: “I will give an update on the current situation in Scotland, what we know about #Omicron so far, and what we can all do to help contain spread in a Covid briefing with @DrGregorSmith at 10.30am.”

On Friday November 26, Omicron was designated a variant of concern by the World Health Organisation.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said contact tracing had not identified any overseas travel as being linked to some of the Omicron cases. This suggests the variant is already being transmitted within the Scottish population, he said.

The first two cases in the UK – in Nottingham and Essex – were announced on Saturday, while a third Omicron case was detected in the UK on Sunday in a person with travel links to southern Africa.

Boris Johnson's government is to convene an urgent meeting of G7 health ministers on Monday to discuss the variant first detected in South Africa amid concerns it could spread rapidly and partially evade existing jabs.

Passengers arriving in the UK from 4am on Tuesday will be required to take a PCR test by the end of their second day from entry and isolate until they receive a negative test, while 10 southern African nations have been added to the red travel list.

The National: Humza Yousaf

Yousaf (above) said: “We have already taken steps and are aligning with the new border restrictions being introduced by the UK Government which will require fully vaccinated arrivals to take a PCR test within two days of arrival and to self-isolate until a negative result is received.

“These measures will be introduced as soon as possible and kept under constant review. However, we reserve the right to go further if necessary.

“We are also adopting the expanded red list of countries identified by the UK Government. This will also be kept under review.”

He urged people to redouble their efforts to follow basic rules such as mask wearing and hand washing and to get their vaccinations, including their booster, if eligible.