These new cases come days after around 51 workers at an Iceland warehouse tested positive for COVID-19 in the town of Swindon
There has been an outbreak of COVID-19 among staff at a Tesco Extra supermarket in the southwest town of Swindon.
The company has said that a small number of its workers at the Tesco Extra store located in Ocotal Way had been infected with the coronavirus this week, and those who had tested positive for COVID-19 were self-isolating at their homes. The store remains open and no delivery drivers have been infected.
“The safety of our customers and colleagues is our top priority,” said a Tesco spokesman.
“We have introduced extensive measures across all of our stores to help keep everyone safe, including protective screens at every checkout, social distancing signage and regular deep cleaning.”
This comes after face masks will be made mandatory in Northern Ireland when indoors, after the R number, an important measurement of how quickly COVID-19 is spreading, rose in the region; The re-opening of pubs, which do not sell food, in Northern Ireland has also been postponed.
The outbreak comes just days after around 51 workers at a Swindon Iceland warehouse tested positive for COVID-19.
Health chiefs have said that mobile testing teams had been called in after the cluster of cases, as well as many of the new cases being picked up were asymptomatic.
Swindon Borough Council’s cabinet member for adults and health, Brian Ford, said the town’s recent spike in coronavirus cases was driven by the outbreak at the Iceland food distribution centre.
Three crew members at Swindon’s fire station were also found to have the disease, while local Honda and Royal Mail depots suffered “small outbreaks” as a result of lockdown restrictions being eased.
The map below shows Swindon’s seven-day case rate is among the highest in the UK, at 47.3 per 100,000 people.
Steve Maddern, director of public health for Swindon, said:
“Small outbreaks are expected as a result of relaxing lockdown arrangements and as people return to work.”
“We have developed a local outbreak management plan to supplement and support the national test and trace service, and to ensure that Swindon can respond swiftly to help manage a local outbreak or hotspot.”
“The council is currently responding to a small number of COVID-19 cases, and these people are isolating in accordance with the government’s self-isolation guidance.”
This comes after the biggest shake-up of housing planning in England for decades has caused fury as it moves to fast-track the building of “beautiful” homes that could lead to “slum” living conditions.
Mike Wade, a consultant in health protection at Public Health England South West, said “everyone should be following social distancing advice, both in and out of work,” in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“Good hygiene is the best prevention and there are some simple steps you can take to protect you, your family and colleagues by washing your hands regularly and thoroughly and if you cough, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue,” he added.
