New measures to avoid coronavirus lockdown in Kirklees

There have been outbreaks at factories in the Kirklees area including the Kober meat processing plant

A council is taking "immediate action" to avoid a local lockdown after a spike in coronavirus cases.

The measures being introduced in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, follow outbreaks at a number of factories.

Kirklees Council said there had been a small increase in cases. The latest government data is set to be released on Thursday.

There will now be increased testing in the area as well as an outreach operation in the worst hit communities.

Rachel Spencer-Henshall, director of public health for Kirklees, said: "We are talking about relatively small numbers of positive cases but there is no room for complacency."

Rachel Spencer-Henshall told people to keep social distancing and to self-isolate if they have symptoms

Last month, it was confirmed 165 staff working at the Kober factory in Cleckheaton had contracted the virus, while earlier this month, workers at bed factories in Liversedge and Batley also tested positive.

The council is focusing its efforts on the Ravensthorpe, Savile Town and Batley West communities.

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Ms Spencer-Henshall added: "We are very likely to see infection rates go up and down in communities and pockets in different parts of Kirklees in the coming weeks and months.

"We're ready to deploy staff and testing units anywhere in Kirklees if we think it will help bring rates down.

"We will be coming up with new ways of supporting people to bring rates down all the time."

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There will be a public information campaign, including a weekly newsletter, posted to people around Kirklees.

The council said infection rates in the borough remain well below those seen in Leicester, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Last month, Leicester became the first place in the UK to be subject to a local lockdown following a spike in cases.

The latest weekly Public Health England report on coronavirus cases by area is expected on Thursday afternoon.

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