Salad firm staff self-isolating after Evesham Covid-19 outbreak

Workers at a salad growing and packing firm are self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19.

Close contacts of 18 staff at Valefresco in Offenham, near Evesham, are being identified, Worcestershire County Council sad.

Public health England staff are working with the firm which grows crops such as lettuce and tomatoes.

Chairman Vito Pilade said procedures were in place and the aim was to continue operations as normal.

"Our workers are vital to the food production lines of the UK and their health and wellbeing are of paramount importance," he said.

The council said close contacts of the 18 workers would be advised to self-isolate and get themselves tested.

Dr Kathryn Cobain, the Director for Public Health in Worcestershire, said they would closely monitor the situation at Valefresco.

She added: "Covid-19 has not gone away and this outbreak is a reminder that we still need to do the right thing."

Evesham is in the Wychavon district which has seen a decrease in cases of coronavirus in recent weeks.

The area's infection rate dropped from 401 per 100,000 in the week up to 18 July, to 270.4 for the following seven days.

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