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No changes to coronavirus restrictions in the north and north-east, confirms Nicola Sturgeon

Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen will remain under level two restrictions, with Moray, Highland and the islands remaining in level one.

Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that there would be no changes to the current tiered system in the north and north-east.

She said they were monitoring levels in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire following a rise in cases in both regions.

These were attributed “in a large part” to specific outbreaks that are being managed.

As a result, she said there was no need for restrictions there to be increased from the current Level 2 status at the moment.

The government made only one change to the current tiered system being used to combat the spread of Covid-19 across the country’s local authorities, with East Lothian moving from level three to two on Tuesday morning.

Moray, the Highlands, the Western Isles, Shetland, and Orkney will remain at level one.

Ms Sturgeon said: “With the exception of East Lothian, which this morning moved from level three to level two, I can confirm that the Scottish Government is not proposing any changes today to the levels that currently apply to each local authority area.

“The latest data shows that across the whole country, and within most local authority areas, the restrictions in place are having an impact. The number of cases across the country has stabilised in recent weeks.

“But we now have grounds for cautious optimism that numbers may be declining.

“There is also evidence admissions to hospital and ICU are declining now too; although it is important to note these figures fluctuate on a day-to-day basis.”

She added that the Scottish R-number is now believed to be between 0.8 and one, which she said was “indicative of infections now declining”.

Giving more detail on the tiers, Ms Sturgeon said: “We are monitoring Clackmannanshire and Perth and Kinross particularly carefully given recent increases in cases in these areas.”

She added: “There have been recent rises in case numbers in both Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen city but we have been able to attribute these in large part to specific outbreaks which are being managed by local public health teams so our judgment at this point is that these do not require a change in levels, although we continue to monitor them carefully.”

She said that both Dumfries and Galloway and Argyll and Bute could move from level two to one in the coming weeks.

Last week 11 Scottish local authority areas were placed under tier four measures, the most severe in the country, until at least December 11.

They are Glasgow, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, Stirling, and West Lothian.

These areas will remain under level four restrictions.