UK Government denies G7 summit behind coronavirus spike in Cornwall
The Government has denied that a rise in coronavirus infections in Cornwall is linked to the recent G7 summit.
Figures for the seven days to June 14 show that Cornwall and Isles of Scilly had the fourth biggest week-on-week rise in infections - with only Northtyneside,liverpooland County Durham higher.
This has led some to blame the gathering of the world leaders in Carbis Bay from June 11 to 13 as the cause of the spike.
The Government said there was always likely to be a rise in infections as restrictions across England were eased during May and indoor hospitality was permitted.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "Attendeesgoingtotheg7weretested before arriving and throughout the summit. We are not awareofanycasesoftransmission to local residents.
"We always said that, following the move to step three (of the Government's road map outoflockdown),wewouldsee cases rising across the country. That is what we are seeing playing out."
Andrew George, a Cornwall councillor and former Liberal Democrat MP for St Ives, has called for the Government's risk assessment for the summit to be published, alongside public health data to understand the cause of the spike.
"Thecorrelationbetweeng7 and the tsunami of Covid-19 case-load in St Ives/carbis Bay and Falmouth is undeniable," he said.
"It ought to drive public bodies to at the very least maintain an open mind about the connection.” Mrgeorgequestionedwhether the Government made "any serious attempt" to undertake a Covid-19 risk assessment.