Birmingham Post

JLR Solihull coronaviru­s cases climb to 28

- Ben Perrin News Reporter

JAGUAR Land Rover has confirmed 28 workers have now tested positive for coronaviru­s at its factory in Solihull.

The workforce are self-isolating after cases grew from four to 11 from a section of the paint shop on Lode Lane – but that number had grown to 28 as of Tuesday.

It is understood that four workers from the confirmed cases returned to work on Wednesday after their 14-day isolation, which leaves 24 at home.

JLR has also revealed there has been a “small number” of “isolated cases” at its sites in Castle Bromwich and Wolverhamp­ton.

The manufactur­ing giant was expected to confirm the amount of cases.

A JLR spokeswoma­n told the Post: “We, like the rest of the country, are seeing some isolated cases of Covid19.

“We can confirm that a small number of employees based at our Solihull manufactur­ing facility have tested positive for Covid-19 and are self-isolating.

“Through contact

tracing

and working in conjunctio­n with Public Health England and Solihull Council, we have identified anyone who has been in close contact with those individual­s at work and they are also self-isolating.

“The health of our workforce remains our primary concern and a deep clean of the area has been undertaken.

“We continue to follow all government and NHS advice.”

JLR said it had taken a number of measures to “safeguard our employees” as it gradually returned to production with a smaller workforce in May.

It includes an extensive review of all production lines, engineerin­g facilities, office areas andcommuna­l spaces to ensureeffe­ctive social distancing, hygiene and health monitoring measures are in place.

It said employees’ health and wellbeing “are at the centre of this plan” and, with the implementa­tion of the new protocol, employees will experience a significan­t number of changes to their working day from the moment they enter the site.

JLR said it will continue to closely monitor the pandemic and follow guidance of all relevant authoritie­s in the markets in which they operate.

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