Banham Poultry outbreak: testing expanded to include all workers to have been at te factory since the starts of August

All workers at Banham Poultry are to be tested for Covid-19, with 80 cases currently confirmed from 376 workers tested.

The expanded testing began this morning and was announced by Norfolk County Council , with any worker to have been on site since August 1 now undergoing tests.

The total number of staff to be tested under the plans is around 800, with those who have been confirmed as positive for the virus so far, being asked to isolate at home.

Dr Louise Smith, Norfolk's director of public health, said: "This means we have addressed the highest risk area of the factory and we now need to move on to focus on the lower risk groups to ensure we don’t have any emerging issues with them.

"So, precautionary testing, co-ordinated with the Banham Poultry management team, is now being extended to include all workers at the site."

The latest round of testing is to take place throughout this week, and Norfolk’s public health team is now working with NHS Test and Trace to contact trace all contacts of the 350 staff currently isolating.

Anyone who is told they have a positive result is asked to contact NHS Test and Trace to let them know who they have been in close contact with.