Coronavirus in Scotland: East Lothian returns to level three of lockdown restrictions

East Lothian will move back into Level Three of Scotland’s lockdown levels from Friday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced.

Speaking at the weekly announcement on Scotland’s current level system ahead of Christmas, Ms Sturgeon explained that case numbers in East Lothian have increased by more than 50 percent in the last week.

That means that previously, where 69 people in every 100,000 tested positive in East Lothian, now 116 people in ever 100,000 tested positive in the last week.

Ms Sturgeon said: “To complete consideration of Lothian, let me now turn to East Lothian.

Nicola Sturgeon says East Lothian will move to Level Three again(Picture: Andy Buchanan/pool/Getty Images)

“Case numbers there have increased by more than 50% in the last week, from 69 per hundred thousand people to 116 - and this is on top of increases over the 2 weeks previous to that.

“Unfortunately, therefore, and with obvious regret, the Cabinet has decided that East Lothian will move back to level 3 from Friday.”

Meanwhile, Edinburgh and Midlothian will also remain in Level Three, but Ms Sturgeon did conrfim that one more assessment of the levels would take place before Christmas.

She said: “Last week, I confirmed that the City of Edinburgh and Midlothian would both remain in level 3.

"That decision was subject to considerable scrutiny - understandably so - given that the raw indicators suggested that these areas should be at level 2.

“However, having observed an increase in cases in the days leading up to last week’s decision, and applying our wider judgment, we concluded that easing restrictions would not be sensible.

“Unfortunately, the continued rise in cases since then suggests that this was the right decision - though I understand how difficult it was, and is, for the people and businesses most affected by it.

“But in the last week, case numbers in Edinburgh have increased by more than 40% – from 70 to 100 per hundred thousand.

“And numbers in Midlothian have risen even more sharply - from 88 to 147 per hundred thousand. Test positivity has also increased in both areas.

“Our judgment remains, therefore, that it would be deeply irresponsible to ease restrictions in either the City of Edinburgh or Midlothian, at a time when cases are rising sharply.”

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