Here's why we don't know exactly where coronavirus cases have been confirmed

So far, the UK's governments have revealed where the country’s coronavirus cases are only by the area in which they’re contained.

They haven’t been more specific than that. But why is that?

Edinburgh Evening News asked the Scottish Government whether they could be more specific on the location of coronavirus cases in Scotland.

A spokesperson responded: “The Scottish Government provides a daily update at 2pm, which includes an up-to-date tally of test numbers and results, and the number of positive cases in each region.”

They did not clarify why the government doesn’t reveal the exact locations of coronavirus cases.

Why don't we know where coronavirus cases are confirmed?

It likely comes down to a privacy issue; the authorities aren’t in the business of releasing personal information like addresses.

Even if they were more specific but still kept it to a place name, that could cause unnecessary panic in those areas.

Imagine a small village finds out there is a coronavirus in their settlement – the local community would react with fear and uncertainty, and that could have a damaging impact on the people living there.

Plus, we’ve already seen cases of racially charged attacks in this country. There is a real suspicion of the virus, despite its relatively low fatality rate, and to single out those carrying the disease could put those people in very real danger.

Coronavirus: the facts

What is coronavirus?

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that can affect lungs and airways. It is caused by a virus called coronavirus.

What caused coronavirus?

The outbreak started in Wuhan in China in December 2019 and it is thought that the virus, like others of its kind, has come from animals.

How is it spread?