Number of people in Scotland tested for coronavirus rises by 130 in a day

The number of people tested for coronavirus in Scotland has risen by more than 100 in a day, with no confirmed cases.

A total of 630 tests had been carried out by Saturday in Scotland, up from 500 on Friday.

All have so far proved negative.

South of the border, a further three patients in England have tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the UK to 23.

More than 10,000 people in the UK have now been tested for the virus, also known as Covid-19, that originated in Wuhan, China.

On Friday, NHS Lothian announced it has introduced a “drive-through” testing centre for the virus.

Some patients with an appointment are being tested for coronavirus in their cars at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh.

NHS Lothian medical director Dr Tracey Gillies said: “This service is for patients who have been assessed by the specialist team, so it is an appointment-only service.

“It is not a drop-in clinic and it is important to stress that patients cannot be seen without an appointment.

“The drive-through facility and the community testing teams allow us to test patients without them coming into healthcare facilities.

“Patients will be referred on by their GP or NHS 24 if they are at risk of the virus and meet the clinical criteria.

“They will then be referred on to our teams, who will decide whether they need to be tested in their own homes or if they are well enough and can use their own transport to drive to the Western General Hospital.”