Coronavirus: What do we know about the Banham Poultry outbreak?

It is understood 7,000 birds were culled at Banham Poultry as a direct result of the partial closure

A poultry processing factory in Norfolk has seen 127 workers test positive for coronavirus in what has been described as a "significant" outbreak. This is what we know.

What is Banham Poultry?

Banham Poultry has been part of the poultry production industry in Norfolk for more than 50 years. It employs about 1,100 people, many of them eastern European.

In 2018, one million birds a week went through its factory, on an industrial estate on the outskirts of the market town of Attleborough.

The company, which supplies chicken products to supermarkets, accounts for 7% of chicken processing in the UK.

What do we know about the outbreak?

The company is a major employer in south Norfolk with many of its 1,100 staff originally from eastern Europe

A worker tested positive for coronavirus on 21 August, which led to a small number of staff being tested.

Seven more tested positive on 24 August and checks were then carried out on 347 employees.

As of 26 August, some 46 had tested positive and, by the evening, that had risen to 75, with one admitted to hospital. Their condition is unknown.

On 27 August, it was announced a further five had tested positive, bringing the total to 80, a rate of 21.2% - regarded as "high" by Dr Louise Smith, the director of public health in Norfolk.

She said there was no evidence that it began in the factory.

The number of cases had risen to 96 by the end of August and hundreds of staff were advised to self-isolate.

On 1 September, it was announced a further eight workers had tested positive, taking the total to 104.

And on 8 September that figure was revised to 127, with a further 22 cases linked to the outbreak.

What has the factory done?

Production lines normally have people working closely together

All those who tested positive worked in the cutting room, where slaughtered birds are made into cuts of meat.

That area of the factory was voluntarily closed by Banham from Thursday, 27 August, following advice from Public Health Norfolk and it is understood 7,000 birds were culled.

All 350 employees who work in that section were told to isolate, along with their households.

Public health bosses said no other cases had been identified in other areas of the factory, which remained partially open.

Blaine van Rensburg, managing director of Banham Poultry, said it would continue to ensure PPE was used and social distancing measures adhered to.

The firm said a deep clean would take place and measures such as staff and visitors having their temperature taken on entry would be introduced.

The factory reopened on Monday, 13 September.

Banham Poultry said it had lost about £2m a week due to the closure.

Could this lead to a local lockdown?

Banham Poultry has been part of poultry production in Norfolk for more than 50 years

Potentially, this could affect several neighbouring towns in Norfolk, including Diss, Watton and Thetford, and the wider communities. A major track and trace operation is now under way.

Dr Smith said the numbers of positive tests at the factory were "significant at a national level" but a geographical lockdown was not anticipated at this stage.

"We would only move to that kind of measure if we were getting evidence of spread in the general public that could not be linked to a specific location, such as this outbreak," she said.

"Background-level infection in Norfolk, outside of this location, is low."

The company accounts for 7% of chicken processing in the UK

It is understood migrant workers make up the a large proportion of Banham's workforce.

Dr Smith said about a third of the 350 workers who had been asked to isolate live either in Breckland - the local authority area where the factory is based - or in the districts of Great Yarmouth or Norwich.

Most live with co-workers in houses in multiple occupancy and travel and socialise together.

Workers told the BBC that in the early stages of the outbreak, employees had turned up to work despite presenting with Covid-19 symptoms, because "they were afraid to take sick leave, because sick pay is so low".

Banham Poultry said it was paying sick pay at the statutory rate of £95.85 per week.

Dr Smith also said they were "learning" from similar outbreaks, including at sandwich-maker Greencore in Northampton, where more than 300 workers tested positive.

Northampton was put on the government's watchlist as an "area of intervention", but a local lockdown has not been imposed, and it was downgraded to an "area of concern".

On Friday, 4 September, the whole county of Norfolk was given "area of enhanced support".

This was downgraded to "area of concern" status on Friday, 11 September.

Is there any risk to consumers?

Workers have their temperature read as they arrive at Banham Poultry

According to Prof Paul Hunter, of the University of East Anglia, low temperatures may make food processing plants more susceptible to contagion.

"In food factories the air temperature is often quite cold, to help preserve the food and that coldness can actually allow the virus to survive longer before it's inactivated," he said.

"We think that the likelihood of infection being passed on the packaging of food is very low.

"The biggest risk is to people who are in close contact with a person breathing in moist air that contains the virus."

• A SIMPLE GUIDE: How do I protect myself?

• AVOIDING CONTACT: The rules on self-isolation and exercise

• LOOK-UP TOOL: Check cases in your area

• MAPS AND CHARTS: Visual guide to the outbreak

• VIDEO: The 20-second hand wash

• STRESS: How to look after your mental health