Covid in Scotland: Omicron outbreak linked to St Andrews hotel party

The Omicron Covid variant has been linked to a virus outbreak at a hotel Christmas party in St Andrews.

NHS Fife confirmed a cluster of cases from the Fairmont hotel, understood to be a Take That tribute band event.

The health board said some of those who tested positive are "likely" to have the highly transmissible variant.

It added that enhanced contact tracing was ongoing to identify close contacts of all people who tested positive after the night at the five-star resort.

Under Scotland's new Covid rules, all household contacts of someone with the virus should now isolate for 10 days, regardless of their vaccination status.

Non-household contacts of someone with Covid can leave isolation if they have had a negative PCR test and two vaccine doses.

NHS Fife said they were "aware of cases" linked to the party night on 4 December.

Deputy director of public health, Dr Esther Curnock, said: "We are working closely with the local environmental health service, and the management of the Fairmont hotel to reduce the risk of more widespread transmission.

"The evidence at this stage suggests at least some of the those who are known to have tested positive are likely to have been carrying the Omicron variant of the virus.

"It is vital, therefore, that all of those who attended the event remain vigilant of the signs and symptoms of the virus, and isolate immediately should any of these develop."

On Saturday the total number of Omicron cases across nine of the Scotland's 14 health boards reached 121.

There were 4,087 new cases of the virus, a rise on the recent daily average of about 2,800 cases.

On Friday, the Scottish Sun reported that around 40 staff at Hairmyres Hospital, in NHS South Lanarkshire, were self-isolating due to an Omicron outbreak linked to their work Christmas party.

The Fairmont hotel said it was unable to comment.