Another five cases of the potentially lethal coronavirus have been confirmed in Scotland.

There is now a total of 11 confirmed cases across the country.

Including one positive case in Ayrshire, there is now one patient in Tayside, two in Forth Valley, one in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, three in Grampian, two in Fife and one in Lothian who have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

Previously patients were described as 'clinically well' and as receiving appropriate clinical care.

Due to patient confidentiality, no other details have been revealed.

A total of 1,525 tests have been carried out in Scotland, the first UK death was announced yesterday in Berkshire.

At First Minister's Questions yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon said: "The messages right now to all of us - to wash our hands properly, ensure we follow the advice of what to do when we cough and sneeze. I'm very aware that politicians telling people how to wash their hands sound patronising, but it is really, really important."

The patients are from the Forth Valley, Greater Glasgow & Clyde and Grampian areas. All three new cases are contacts of known cases.

Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Catherine Calderwood said: “With all these cases, our thoughts are with those diagnosed and their families. Scotland is well equipped to deal with this kind of infection and we are doing everything we can to contain the virus at this stage and minimise the risk to the public.

“Clinicians are now conducting contact tracing, the process of gathering details of the places those who have tested positive visited and the people they have been in contact with.

“Close contact involves either face-to-face contact or spending more than 15 minutes within two metres of an infected person. The risk is very low in situations where someone may have passed a patient on the street or in a shop.

“Health protection teams will contact those who are at risk from the current cases – those who are not contacted are not at risk.

“We can all play our part to limit the spread of the virus by washing our hands frequently for 20 seconds as well as always carrying tissues and using them to catch coughs and sneezes, then putting the tissue in a bin, and don’t touch your face.”

Residents at a sheltered housing complex in Kilmarnock were previously advised to stay in their homes overnight after a suspected case of coronavirus was discovered.

Earlier this week, Chris Milburn, customer services director for site manager Hanover Scotland, said a resident at one of the developments in Ayrshire, who had recently returned from south-east Asia, reported feeling unwell.

He said the site manager immediately contacted the NHS and the resident was taken to hospital for tests and the decisim was made to ask residents to stay in their homes as a precaution.

Residents have since been advised they can carry on as normal.

He said the situation is being kept under review and any resident with concerns should contact their local housing manager or call Hanover Scotland on 0131 557 0598.