Further restrictions considered over Coupar Angus coronavirus cluster

The 2 Sisters plant in Coupar Angus has been closed since Monday

Further restrictions over a coronavirus cluster linked to a Coupar Angus food processing plant are being "carefully and urgently" considered, Nicola Sturgeon has told MSPs.

The number of cases linked to the 2 Sisters poultry factory has risen to 43, an increase of 14 since Wednesday.

Ms Sturgeon said 37 of the cases in the "significant" cluster were employees and the six others were their contacts.

The plant has been closed for two weeks while staff at the site are tested.

Ms Sturgeon said: "This number will almost certainly grow, we are stressing the importance of all workers at the plant self-isolating and getting tested.

"Given the nature and potential scale of this outbreak, we are considering carefully and urgently whether further restrictions are necessary."

The first minister chaired a meeting of the Scottish government's resilience committee on Thursday.

All of the plant's approximately 900 employees have been advised to self-isolate for 14 days, even those who have tested negative.

Anyone living with a factory worker must also self-isolate until 31 August. This includes children, who must not go to school.

Management at the poultry factory made the decision on Sunday night to temporarily close the factory.