Angie Brown
Edinburgh and East reporter

The owner of Edinburgh’s oldest pet shop said he had seen an increase in toy sales since the Coronavirus pandemic.

Craig Davidson, owner of Dofos Pet Centre on Leith Walk, said he was surprised it had not just been pet food that has been flying out of the door.

He said: “I have seen an increase in online sales with the bulk being from England.

“I think owners are needing things to amuse their pets while everyone is locked inside.”

Earlier today it was revealed that Prince Charles has tested positive for Covid-19.

He is currently self-isolating with the Duchess of Cornwall on the Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire.

The BBC's Glenn Campbell highlights a Tweet from the area's MP, which "criticised" people from other areas for travelling to Aberdeenshire as "selfish" and said it was "putting further strain on already pressed local services".

The government in New Zealand has sent text alerts to mobile phones telling the public that at midnight on Wednesday the country will go into "Level 4 lockdown".

It means wherever people spend the night is where they will stay for the next few weeks.

The message said: "New Zealand is depending on you. Stay at home."

It ended with the Maori phrase "Kia Kaha" meaning stay strong.

There are currently thousands of Scots stranded in New Zealand due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Image source, Katy Marshall

Lorna Gordon
BBC News Scotland correspondent

Image source, Reuters

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has sent her best wishes to Prince Charles, who tested positive for coronavirus in Scotland.

She declined to comment on the specifics, when questioned on the fact that Prince Charles, 71, had tested positive at what some people have described as a second home - the prince is currently staying at Balmoral in Scotland.

Ms Sturgeon repeated the advice she gave on Sunday - that she didn't want people to see the Highland and Islands as places where they can outrun the virus.

She added that remote areas were under pressure at the best of times and she didn’t want health services in these areas to be put under additional pressure.

Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Catherine Calderwood said she had discussed the situation with the team at NHS Grampian and, from the information she had been given, it was clear Prince Charles had been tested for clinical reasons.

Separately, Prime Minister Boris Johnson wished Prince Charles a "speedy recovery", a Downing Street spokesman told reporters.

Image source, Getty Images

Bus operators are to get some financial help to keep essential services going during Scotland’s lockdown.

The Scottish government will provide cash to make sure key workers are kept moving and to offset the effects of reduced demand.

Operators will continue to receive concessionary travel reimbursements and bus operator grants and will now be given additional payments to make up the difference to forecasted levels of income.

Cosla has also asked local authorities to keep paying for home to school transport.

A warm Wednesday lunchtime in spring would usually be a bit busier in Dumfries.

The High Street, Whitesands and square around Burns Statue have only a handful of people.

It is likely to be this way for some while to come as the full effect of the coronavirus restrictions begins to be felt across southern Scotland and beyond.

As of 25 March, a total of 10,676 Scottish tests have concluded. Of these:

• 9957 tests were confirmed negative
• 719 tests were positive
• 22 patients who tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) have died.

House of Commons
Parliament

Earlier at Prime Minister's Questions...

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said one in three self-employed people are now at risk of losing their income.

"Last Friday, the self-employed were promised by the prime minister and the chancellor that help was coming... but they and we are still waiting," he said.

Boris Johnson replied the government had done "a huge amount already to strengthen the safety net" for those losing income.

He added: "There are particular complexities about the self-employed that do need to be addressed.

"We are working as fast as possibly can to get an appropriate package of support."

But Mr Blackford warned: "Telling them to wait another day simply isn't good enough."

BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg says help for self-employed people it is on its way.

She says the chancellor will announce the new measures at the government's daily press conference on Thursday.

Jonny Dymond
BBC royal correspondent

Image source, Reuters

Royal doctors advise that Prince Charles, who is self-isolating at the Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire, would not have been contagious up until 13 March - a day after his last public engagement.

They are working on presumably his symptoms, the date he has taken the test and their understanding of where he is now in the virus' path.

We are waiting to see if there will be further statements or broadcasts from the Royal Family.

Our understanding is that the Queen will speak to the nation - only extraordinary circumstances prompt that and this is exactly that circumstance.

But the feeling is that the palace does not want any message from the Royal Family to get in the way of the more urgent messages from the government.

Any broadcast will be fairly carefully timed.

In Edinburgh charges for all on-street pay and display parking bays will be suspended until further notice.

Yellow lines, loading bays, disabled parking places and car club places will continue to be enforced.

Governments around the world are encouraging people to stay at home to protect health services and save lives.

Among the new measures being brought in the UK, people can only leave their homes to buy food, medicine and to exercise.

They're allowed to travel, but only to and from work if they cannot do their jobs from home.

Staying at home to keep people safe can be a difficult concept to grasp, especially when you are feeling fit and healthy yourself.

BBC health reporter Laura Foster looks at the statistics which show just how much of a difference it can make when it comes to taking pressure off health services and saving lives.

Darnley's Gin, in Kingsbarns, Fife, has diverted its attention for the time being away from distilling gin to produce hand sanitiser for local residents.

It said its production capacity was limited at the moment but it was exploring how it could do more to help communities in the East Neuk of Fife.

It has been using 96% abv neutral grain spirit to produce the hand gel.

Streets are quieter in Aberdeen city centre and the local authority has given an update for the cancelled events list.

Aberdeen Highland Games and Armed Forces Day have been cancelled, the city council has said. The Town House in the city centre has also been closed.

Aberdeen Highland Games had been scheduled for Hazlehead Park on Sunday 21 June, and Armed Forces Day was due to take place the following Saturday.

All GP practices in the Borders have suspended their usual appointment booking arrangements to help protect patients and staff.

Practices and treatment rooms will now provide essential services only to patients who require urgent clinical attention via telephone triaging and, where "absolutely necessary", via face-to-face appointment.

Meanwhile, Scottish Borders Council has said it is "listening to feedback" and looking again at the system being used to book childcare for key workers.

It means that for the rest of the week it will be asking parents and carers to complete an online booking form on a daily basis. Full details are available on its website., external