28 workers at Walkers Leicester crisp factory test positive for coronavirus 

Walkers confirms 28 workers at its Leicester crisp factory have tested positive for coronavirus

  • Walkers has confirmed 28 positive cases of Covid-19 at its factory in Leicester 
  • The firm employs 1,400 people across the site in the Beaumont Leys area 
  • Said it had seen ‘steady increase’ in the number of confirmed cases during June

Walkers has today confirmed 28 positive cases of Covid-19 at its crisp factory in Leicester.

The firm, which employs 1,400 people across the site in the Beaumont Leys area of the city, said it had seen a ‘steady increase’ in the number of confirmed cases during June.

Walkers claimed its track and trace procedure indicated the transmission of the virus was ‘not in our factory’.

The company claims the rise ‘coincides with the roll-out and uptake of testing’ in Leicester.

The firm, which employs 1,400 people across the site in the Beaumont Leys area of the city, said it had seen a ‘steady increase’ in the number of confirmed cases during June

Walkers claimed its track and trace procedure indicated the transmission of the virus was 'not in our factory'. The company claims the rise 'coincides with the roll-out and uptake of testing' in Leicester

Walkers claimed its track and trace procedure indicated the transmission of the virus was ‘not in our factory’. The company claims the rise ‘coincides with the roll-out and uptake of testing’ in Leicester

A spokesperson said: ‘We have shared our data and analysis with the health authorities and they support the view that our situation reflects transmission in the community and we do not have a transmission issue on site.

‘In light of the recent increase in cases in Leicester, we have been proactively reinforcing the importance of continued vigilance on site.’

The company added employees with a confirmed or suspected case of Covid-19 were self-isolating on full pay.

A number of other food processing plants in Leicester have had confirmed cases of the infection, including Samworth Brothers and Pladis, which makes biscuits for McVities.

Leicester became the first UK city to be plunged back into lockdown on Monday night, after 944 new cases were identified in the last two weeks.

Today, Boris Johnson was accused of letting coronavirus run wild in Leicester during a ‘lost week’. 

Pictured: The lockdown zone in Leicester, which has left some Britons in lockdown while their neighbours are not

In brutal clashes at PMQs, Mr Johnson furiously denied failing to share crucial data on infections with the authorities in the city.

But Labour leader Keir Starmer accused him of being ‘slow to act’ and said local officials were left believing there were only 80 positive tests per week, when the real figure was more than 940.

Mr Johnson insisted the ‘Pillar Two’ testing data, which covers screening of the general population carried out in commercial labs, was shared.  

Police have since pledged to stop and fine drivers trying to flee Leicester for drinking or shopping after the city was put under a fresh lockdown. 

Officers will carry out spot checks on vehicles leaving locked-down Leicester and could turn them around if their journey is not essential, it was revealed today, as confusion reigned because some areas in the city limits are in lockdown while neighbours are not.

Leicestershire Police is also threatening £100 fines amid growing concerns that residents may flee for the county’s open pubs, hair salons or other attractions while patrols will also break up mass gatherings in the city after they were partially blamed for a spike in coronavirus cases in June.

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