13 new coronavirus cases in Lothians as Scotland total rises to 499

The increase comes as Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer said the rate at which the virus is being spread is higher than expected, while First MInister Nicola Sturgeon revealed the nuber of deaths rose by four to 14 in the last 24 hours. Ms Sturgeon has also called on shops which do not provide essentials such as food or medicine essential services to close.

The latest figures, published by the Scottish Government at 2pm on Monday, revealed an increase of 46 to 59 positive COVID-19 cases in the NHS Lothian board area since Sunday.

A total of 9,364 tests for coronavirus have been done in Scotland with 499 coming back positive and 8,865 negative.

Social distancing

The latest figures come after a weekend of pubs, restaurants, gyms and cinemas being closed to the public in a bid to stop the spread of the virus.

The UK Government and its health advisers have issued clear guidelines saying members of the public should stay at least two metres apart.

But weekend sunshine saw large numbers of people seek out the open space and fresh air at walking spots and beaches around Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Emergency legislation that would grant powers aimed at tackling the pandemic will be debated by MPs later.

Coronavirus symptoms

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that can affect lungs and airways. It is caused by a virus called coronavirus.

Coronavirus is a respiratory disease which seems to start with a fever, followed by a dry cough. After a week it leads to shortness of breath and some patients require hospital treatment.

In more severe cases, coronavirus can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, multiple organ failure and even death.

Those with weakened immune systems - older people and those with underlying health conditions like asthma or heart disease - are more likely to become severely ill.

The World Health Organisation says the incubation period lasts up to 14 days.

Protecting yourself against coronavirus

The Scottish Government website offers the following advice from NHS Inform to help reduce the risk of getting and spreading respiratory infections by:

- Avoiding direct hand contact with your eyes, nose and mouth.

- Maintaining good hand hygiene - washing hands with soap and water or alcohol sanitiser: After coughing or sneezing; going to toilet; before eating and drinking.

- Avoiding direct contact with people that have respiratory illness and avoid using their personal items such as mobile phones.

- Covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing with disposable tissues and disposing of them in the nearest waste bin after use.

Anyone who thinks they may be affected by coronavirus should call the NHS 111 phone service for further advice.

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, there have been more than 338,000 cases of coronavirus worldwide with over 14,600 deaths.

The outbreak originated in China's Hubei province in December before spreading globally.