No community cases linked to Craven Arms coronavirus outbreak
There have been no new cases of coronavirus discovered by testing sites set up in a town at the centre of a Covid-19 outbreak.
Shropshire Council said that drop-in testing sessions that took place in two locations in Craven Arms on Friday returned no positive results.
The testing was put in place after an outbreak at the town's Long Lane Caravan Site. At the peak there were 29 positive tests on the site. That number has now reduced to seven.
The results from the drop-in tests mean that no one in the wider community has tested positive.
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Although Shropshire's rate of infection has increased as a result of the Craven Arms outbreak, it remains low.
The 21 new cases confirmed in the seven days up to Wednesday saw the county's infection rate rise from 1.2 to 6.6 cases per 100,000 people.
In the same period Blackburn had a rate of 83 cases per 100,000 people, Oldham of 58.1 and Leicester of 57.1
Rachel Robinson, Shropshire Council’s director of Public Health said: "It is very encouraging to learn that all of yesterday’s test results came back negative.
"We will however continue to watch the situation in Craven Arms carefully and take the necessary actions to protect the public.
"Testing continues to be available for the travellers’ site and everyone in the local community – I’d like to encourage people to take up testing, keep complying with social distancing rules and practice good hand hygiene.
"Whilst the results from yesterday are good news, it is vital that we do not become complacent."
Yesterday the council said that police officers in Shropshire were considering taking action against people who had failed to self-isolate when they should have been.
Testing is available for all residents every day at Craven Arms Business Park from 10.30am to 3.30pm.
People can book an appointment via NHS Test and Trace online or by ringing 119.
