More positive cases expected at coronavirus outbreak farm

Herefordshire’s director of public health expects there will be an increase of positive cases among workers at AS Green & Co farm as testing continues.

The total number of positive cases linked to the outbreak at the Mathon farm so far is 93.

But county public health director Karen Wright says there is ‘no doubt’ they will get more positive cases as more tests are carried out.

She said health workers have been doing mass retesting of people at the farm.

“There’s no doubt about it we will get more cases,” she said.

“We’ve got more tests ongoing. We did the mass retesting of people on Wednesday.

“Basically, there will be people who are still incubating the virus which is why people who have been in contact will have to self-isolate for 14 days.

“That would be the same in every population with a positive test.”

She said the risk to the community remains low and they are focusing their efforts on containing the virus within the farm.

“That’s why we are continuing to do the testing and working with Public Health England to make sure there is a follow up to anyone who has been in contact within that time period,” she said.

“We are closely watching at all the data to make sure this remains within that farm setting.

“We are working actively with the Greens to identify anyone who could have been a potential contact.

“Our priority is the health and wellbeing of everybody in the community and doing what we can to contain it within the farm environment.”

Ms Wright said they have an idea of the source of the outbreak but cannot yet say for sure.

“It’s ongoing work really. We can’t definitively say where it has come from as it’s a complex process. But PHE are working through that process.”

Ms Wright said the Green family had been very proactive in their response to the outbreak.

“They are working well with the council and working through each stage of the process to make sure we are doing everything possible to contain it on the farm,”

“And also, it is really important that they get the business up and running again.

“We are looking at all the measures that need to be put in place to do that so that everybody is reassured that everything that is happening is what should be happening.

“They are working very proactively and cooperating fully with the whole process and managing of the outbreak in that setting.

“There’s no evidence to say that the risk is anything other than low to the local community.”

Ms Wright said as it was the first outbreak of its kind in the country much of the learning will inform what happens should more outbreaks occur at other farms across the country.

She added it’s important for anyone working across any sector to get tested straight away if they feel unwell.

“The more we get on top of this with social distancing and hand washing will help stop the spread,” she said.

“The way we can all play our part is wash your hands, wear face covering, and if anyone gets ay symptoms to get tested and self-isolate. If they need help to contact the talk community number.”