Dairy staff tested for virus after worker dies
ADAIRY worker has died after being admitted to hospital with coronavirus and 95 employees are self-isolating.
Muller Milk & Ingredients said 47 members of staff who work at the company’s dairy in Bridgwater, Somerset, have tested positive for Covid19.
The entire workforce at Bridgwater is now being tested, a spokesman said. “We confirm that 95 employees who work at our Bridgwater dairy are currently self-isolating, 47 of whom have tested positive for Covid-19,” he added.
“Sadly we can also confirm that a colleague has passed away after being admitted to hospital with Covid-19. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased at this time.
“With support from Public Health England and the local council we are ensuring that the entire workforce at Bridgwater is being tested for the presence of Covid-19.”
The spokesman said the company was following best practice as set by the Health and Safety Executive.
Standard measures in place include the use of facemasks, physical distancing and enhanced deep cleaning. There is also a programme of “e-learning, information and audits” to ensure compliance and awareness of the measures, he added.
“It is important to stress that fresh milk processing is highly automated ensuring no risk to products, with our Bridgwater facility one of the most modern dairies in the UK,” the spokesman said.
“Notwithstanding this we have acted to reduce production at Bridgwater as an additional measure at this time, utilising our network of dairies to support.”
Elsewhere, more deaths related to coronavirus in hospitals were recorded in Devon and Cornwall, yesterday. Three Coronavirus-related deaths were confirmed in Cornish hospitals, and four in Devon.
In total 668 people have died in hospital with coronavirus on their death certificate in Devon and Cornwall. This brings the total number of confirmed deaths across Devon and Cornwall further beyond the grim milestone of 1,000 since the pandemic began, a figure the counties crossed last week according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Most deaths are in hospitals, but more than 300 have been in care homes and a small number in hospices and in people’s homes.
Derriford Hospital has had to cancel surgeries because of a peak in infections. Devon is now in a ‘critical phase’ of the pandemic, according to the county’s director of public health Steve Brown.
He warned people not to become complacent in the face of stabilising infection rates. He said: “The numbers are stabilising but it shows the importance of people adhering to the national lockdown restrictions.
“While compared to the national figures, we have relatively low numbers, they are high compared to where we were, and while there are reasons to be optimistic, we cannot take our foot off the gas.”
Police in Falmouth say they recently caught a group of tourists renting a house for a “celebration” in Cornwall. The seven-strong group were handed £1,400 in fines, according to Chief Inspector Ian Thompson. It is unknown where the group travelled from. Chief Insp Thompson Tweeted: “Falmouth Police today issued £1,400 of fines to 7 people who chose to travel to Cornwall, rent a house & have a celebration. Totally unacceptable. Devon and Cornwall Police will continue to enforce the Covid regulations to keep our communities safe.”
In Plymouth police were called to an address in Whitleigh in the early hours of yesterday after complaints of a lockdown party which had spilled out into the street. Residents said a group of partygoers were shouting and drinking in the street. Three people were arrested after officers were allegedly assaulted.
The UK recorded a national total of 1,820 deaths yesterday – setting another bleak British record of the highest number of Covid deaths in a single day.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday said that he is not ruling out lockdown restrictions continuing into summer. While he hoped this current lockdown is planned to be the last national one, No10 said it was “too early” to say when restrictions would end.