Isles of Scilly have first positive Covid tests

An evacuation procedure has been set up to take visitors who test positive safely back to the mainland

The Isles of Scilly have had their first positive Covid-19 test results.

The islands, 28 miles off Cornwall, had not recorded any cases before Tuesday.

The Council of the Isles of Scilly said it had been "informed by public health of positive test results" but it is not known how many cases there had been.

It was also not known if the infected persons were residents or visitors or which of the five inhabited islands they were on.

The council said in a message to islanders it was working to "ensure risk is minimised" and "there is nothing you need to do unless you have been contacted by NHS Test and Trace or are experiencing one of the three Covid-19 symptoms."

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It added: "You'll understand the need to absolutely protect the identity of any individuals who have been affected by this awful virus."

People were reminded to "continue to follow the prevention advice such as keeping two metres distance, wearing a face covering and washing your hands frequently".

The islands have a population of about 2,500 residents, with about 70,000 visitors expected in 2020 before coronavirus struck.

In July a scheme was set up to evacuate visitors who tested positive, using a boat or helicopter but it is not known if the procedure has been used on this occasion.

At a meeting of the Local Outbreak Engagement Board on Tuesday, it was revealed the testing process had been functioning well in the islands, with average results obtained within 30 hours of being swabbed.