Coronavirus: Norfolk off watch list as infections drop

Banham Poultry is due to reopen on Monday

Norfolk has been downgraded on the government's coronavirus watch list after a fall in the number of cases.

The county's seven-day infection rate had risen on 4 September following an outbreak affecting 127 staff at Banham Poultry in Attleborough.

The government made the county an area of enhanced support, but on Friday it was downgraded to an "area of concern".

Banham Poultry, which closed on 27 August when 80 staff tested positive, is to reopen on Monday.

County council leader Andrew Proctor said: "This is welcome news for Norfolk because it means that the government has recognised that we have managed to contain the outbreak at Banham Poultry and that there has been a reduction in the rates of the virus.

"However, we absolutely cannot afford to be complacent. It is only because of the support of the public that we are in the position.

"We remain an area of concern and we continue to closely monitor cases so that we can respond to any local outbreaks or trends."

• What happens if I'm in an area on the watchlist?

• What do we know about the Banham Poultry outbreak?

Norfolk had seen increases in Breckland, Great Yarmouth and Norwich, which Public Health in Norfolk said could be attributed to affected workers and their households.

By 1 September, 48% of their contacts had not been traced and on 4 September the county became an area of enhanced support, which includes swifter testing and better access to track-and-trace call centres.

Of 22 who tested positive in community tests in Norfolk during the outbreak, five were members of households of positive Banham workers, while 11 were "in the community" and six had yet to be identified, public health said.

Banham Poultry has been in business in Attleborough since 1965

Figures released on Friday revealed cases in Breckland have fallen from 35 per 100,000 to eight; Great Yarmouth has decreased from 28 to 13 and Norwich from 23 to nine.

Birmingham, which has been escalated to an area of intervention, has 90 cases per 100,000.

What is an 'area of concern'?

Public Health England publishes a weekly watch list of local authorities as part of its surveillance report of coronavirus infections.

It has three categories for local councils - area of concern, area of enhanced support and area of intervention.

An area of concern is the lowest level, where local officials take targeted actions to reduce infection numbers.

In a statement, Banham Poultry said it had introduced thermal imaging and a dry disinfectant mist through which staff and visitors enter, and a one-way system across the entire site.

Managing director Blaine Van Rensburg added: "Working alongside the relevant public health authorities, we have added even further enhancements, such as touch-activated door hand sanitisers, to reduce the risk of infection.

"We also reiterate our call to the government to provide compensatory frameworks for businesses who, through no fault of their own, have had to shut down due to COVID-19."

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