DEPUTY First Minister Shona Robison is isolating with Covid-19 ahead of the SNP conference this weekend.
Humza Yousaf's number two in the Scottish Government said she had "mild symptoms" of the virus ahead of the party's conference in Aberdeen, which kicks off on Sunday.
Robison said that despite coming down with the virus, she hoped to join party members at the event if her symptoms cease.
Writing on Twitter/X on Thursday evening, she said: "Yesterday I tested positive for COVID.
"I'm currently staying at home with mild symptoms and I am hoping to still join fellow party members at our upcoming @thesnp conference in Aberdeen."
It comes as former SNP leadership contender Kate Forbes confirmed that she would not be attending the conference for the first time since being elected as an MSP.
The former finance minister said she had "longstanding engagements" in the United States arranged before the conference dates were set.
Fergus Ewing, who was suspended from the SNP's MSP group prior to recess for voting against the Scottish Government in a vote of no confidence in Lorna Slater, has said he will also not be attending.
He said the conference “isn’t really what it used to be” and warned the party faced a “very serious decline” if Yousaf didn’t change direction.
It comes as the FM issued an appeal for unity ahead of the first party conference to be held since he took over the leadership from Nicola Sturgeon.
He told members that a divided party cannot win elections, ahead of a crucial vote on his independence strategy going into the next General Election.
A number of amendments have been put forward by party members, with less than two hours given at the event for delegates to debate the crucial strategy.
It comes as Yousaf and his wife Nadia El-Nakla have been dealing with personal tragedy with family trapped in Gaza.
On Friday morning, the FM shared an emotional video plea from his mother-in-law Elizabeth El-Nakla, who was visiting relatives with her husband Maged, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel on Saturday.
Yousaf has said there is "no justification" for Israel's demand for a mass evacuation of 1.1 million people in Gaza, and called for "collective punishment" to end.
