People who break lockdown restrictions and go inside the homes of their family and friends are putting them at risk of “potentially dying”, Nicola Sturgeon has warned.

The First Minister referenced poor weather forecast for the weekend and said if people are not willing to gather outdoors, even if it is raining, they should not meet at all.

Speaking at the Scottish Government’s coronavirus briefing in Edinburgh, she also made a “special plea” to young people, reminding them they are not immune from coronavirus.

Ms Sturgeon said: “If you are not willing to meet outdoors in, all likelihood, the rain, please do not meet up with people from other households at all – and I cannot emphasise that strongly enough.

“I’m not exaggerating when I say that if you do meet people from other households indoors you are putting yourself and are putting them at risk of getting the virus, of becoming ill with it and potentially dying from it.”

She said she knows many young people will be “desperate” to spend more time with friends.

But she warned them: “You are not immune from this virus, you can get it and it can be very harmful to you.

“Even if you are not seriously affected yourself, you can still pass it on to other young people.

“They might then pass it on to others who are at greater risk of Covid-19 such as their parents or grandparents and that could have really tragic consequences.”

Ms Sturgeon also gave an update on coronavirus in Scotland, saying 2,409 patients have died after testing positive for the disease, up 14 from 2,395 on Thursday.

She said 15,582 people have tested positive for the virus across Scotland, a rise of 29 from 15,553 previous day.

There are 995 patients in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, a fall of 26 in 24 hours, marking the first time since March 30 this figure has been under 1,000.

Of these patients, 23 are in intensive care, down by five.

Police Scotland chief constable Iain Livingstone echoed the First Minister’s warning about meeting people indoors.

He told the briefing: “Don’t have house parties if the rain comes on.

“Don’t get your friends round. It is not the time to do that, it is literally putting lives at risk.”

Mr Livingstone said the good weather as lockdown in Scotland eased last weekend had led to people being “demob happy”.

He said “concerning” gatherings at parks, beaches and beauty spots led to more than 2,000 police dispersals in 72 hours.

The police chief urged people not to travel to busy places this weekend and pledged “robust” police action on indoor gatherings.