Coronavirus in Scotland: Mandatory for pubs and bars to collect customer details from next week

The Scottish Government will make it mandatory for pubs and other venues to collect customer details from next Friday, Nicola Sturgeon said.

The requirement will be placed on a "statutory footing", she said, and will help ensure test and protect can function as effectively as possible.

She also said the Scottish Government will issue new statutory guidance related to indoor hospitality to ensure greater compliance with coronavirus measures, to take effect from next Friday.

Police Scotland will enforce the measures if necessary.

Ms Sturgeon said a common factor in the rise in coronavirus outbreaks across the world is a link to hospitality.

She said settings like pubs and restaurants are particularly susceptible to the virus.

While she said the majority of businesses had complied with coronavirus measures imposed on hospitality, she said "it is clear there are some businesses where that has not been the case".

It comes after a surge in cases in Aberdeen linked to several pubs and bars.

Speaking at her daily press briefing, the First Minister confirmed that there were no new deaths from the virus in the last 24 hours.

It means the total death toll of people who tested positive for Covid-19 has stayed at 2,491 for 22 days.

Confirmed cases of the virus have now reached 18,890, after an increase of 43 on the day before.

Ms Sturgeon said 27 of the new cases were in the NHS Grampian region, but said it was unclear how many were linked to the Aberdeen cluster.

The number of patients in hospital with confirmed or suspected coronavirus stands at 262 - eight fewer than yesterday.

Four people are now being treated for the virus in Scotland’s intensive care units.

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