Health chiefs are concerned that the increase in Covid cases in Aberdeen could be linked to the new variant of the virus.
Jillian Evans, head of health intelligence at NHS Grampian, revealed the health board was worried that the spike in cases in the city had been affected by the new mutated variant.
It is believed that it makes the disease more easily to transmit.
Speaking on Good Morning Scotland, Ms Evans said that there was no evidence currently that it is linked to the cases in Aberdeen, but that it is something that is being closely looked at.
Currently, there are about 165 cases per 100,000 in the Granite City, with the whole region being placed in Level 3 last week as a result.
Ms Evans said: “We are very concerned (about the new variant). If you look at what is happening locally for me in Aberdeen, cases were rising quite considerably from November but the increase since December has been so significant.
“We are seeing 165 cases per 100,000 in Aberdeen city and that’s doubled over the last few weeks.
“So we are concerned firstly about people’s health and wellbeing.
“We are also concerned about the pressure on health and care services, which is very worrying.
“I welcome any precautionary approach that is being taken.”
The whole of mainland Scotland will be moved into Level 4 on Boxing Day as the country tries to get ahead of the virus.
Ms Evans revealed that the spike in Aberdeen is being carefully monitored to see whether the new variant can be blamed.
She said: “We are certainly not sure about it (the variant in Aberdeen) but if you look at those numbers and that rise that seems to have hit us so significantly in the last four weeks then I’d be really interested to know if the numbers are associated with the new variant.
“Of course, what we know so far is that the numbers associated with them seem to be rising and its all based on sampling in labs so it’s modelled data but that’s something that I know that many people will be paying close attention to.
“But I would worry about the sudden spike and that makes me think about the new variant quite seriously.”