Fears flare-up at caravan park will spread after 21 cases

TWENTY-ONE new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed at a Shropshire caravan park.

The council fears the number of cases at the site, in the town of Craven Arms, will continue to rise before infection control measures start to take effect. Residents who have come into contact with an infected person have been asked to self-isolate with their households for 14 days.

The 21 people who tested positive were asked to self-isolate for at least seven days from the time they started showing symptoms, or from when they received their positive test result.

A testing centre has been set up on a nearby business park, and everyone living on the site has been offered a test. The centre will be open for the next two weeks between 10.30am and 3.30pm and those living nearby can book a test online via NHS Test and Trace or by calling the 119 number.

A playground close to the caravan park has also been closed to help reduce social contact and the risk of transmission.

David Evans, a local councillor, said: “Our priority is to protect the health and well-being of our local residents. I’ve been in Craven Arms to talk to residents and businesses to answer any questions and reassure them that the risk to the general public is low.”

He added: “I would like to thank members of the community for their own ongoing support and cooperation.

“We continue to rely on everyone at the site playing their part, and want to encourage the residents to continue to self-isolate and take all the necessary precautions. This is the only way we can help stop the spread of the virus.”

Shropshire Council said staff had been at the site providing residents with information on the virus and its symptoms, how to prevent its spread, and what to do if they were feeling unwell. The council had been distributing personal protective equipment, hand sanitiser, cleaning products and other supplies to residents.