11 new cases of coronavirus confirmed in Lothians as Scottish total rises to 584

Eleven new coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the NHS Lothian board area, with a jump of 85 cases across Scotland in the past 24 hours taking the total to 584.

The latest figures, pubished by the Scottish Government at 2pm on Tuesday, show an increase of 11 confirmed cases in the NHS Lothian board area in the past day, from 59 to 70 cases.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon revealed on Tuesday at Holyrood that two more people in Scotland have died from COVID-19, taking the total number of deaths to 16. She also stressed that the number of people carrying the virus – 584 – is likely higher than suggested in the latest figures.

And she reiterated the message that people “must stay at home” and that no one should be going into work unless it’s essential and are helping in some way to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

There has been a rise of 85 confirmed coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours. Pictures: Lisa Ferguson/Getty Images

On Monday night, Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlined new strict measures to fight the spread of coronavirus, including a ban on public gatherings of two or more people. He said people should leave home only for essential items like food and medicine and fulfilling care needs, to exercise once a day and travel to and from work where "absolutely necessary.”

The latest Scottish Government figures showed 9,968 tests for coronavirus have been done in Scotland with 584 coming back positive and 9,384 negative.

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.

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 378,000 cases of coronavirus worldwide with over 16,300 deaths.

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