A member of the 'university community' at Heriot Watt University is being tested for deadly coronavirus.

It is understood that the person is a man and is being kept in isolation.

Officials at Heriot Watt in Edinburgh confirmed on Twitter that the tests were taking place and that 'extra care' was being taken to 'ensure safety of the individual and the entire campus community.'

Students have been reassured that the university is still operating as normal.

© Getty Images Scottish Government has bolstered up its testing facilities as fears over the virus continue to grow

Ann Marie Dalton-Pillay, secretary of the university, said: “A member of our University community at our Edinburgh Campus is in precautionary self-isolation while they await the results of a test for coronavirus.

“The health and wellbeing of our students, staff and visitors is of paramount importance and I would like to offer reassurance that nothing has been confirmed at this time.

“The University remains open as usual and we will notify our students and staff of the outcome of the test once it is known. We are offering support and guidance to everyone in our Global Heriot-Watt community and continue to monitor the situation here in Scotland closely with Health Protection Scotland who are managing the situation.”

The man is one of a number of patients being tested in Scotland for suspected cases of coronavirus - which was named Covid-19 by medical experts earlier this week.

Around 148 people have so far been tested for the disease in Scotland, all of which have come back negative.

Fears over the spread of the disease have continued to grow since the outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan last month.

© REUTERS More than 1,000 people have died as a result of the virus worldwide

It is believed that around 1,370 worldwide since the spread of the virus.

Nine out of 2,521 patients tested for Covid-19 in the UK have come back positive while the threat level remains moderate.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock declared the virus to be a serious and imminent threat to the UK on Monday.

In a statement, he said: "In accordance with Regulation 3, the Secretary of State declares that the incidence or transmission of novel Coronavirus constitutes a serious and imminent threat to public health.

"The measures outlined in these regulations are considered as an effective means of delaying or preventing further transmission of the virus.”

The Scottish Government moved to set up specialist labs at Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh to test patients in Scotland earlier this week.