Undetected community transmission of Covid-19 took place as early as February in Scotland after the virus entered the country mainly through European travel, researchers have found.

A study led by the University of Glasgow discovered coronavirus was brought to Scotland primarily from countries such as Italy and Spain, with few cases directly linked to China and south-east Asia where the virus is believed to have originated.

Researchers said quarantining travellers from high-risk areas could have prevented the escalation of the outbreak.