Coronavirus: Factory virus outbreaks different to Leicester, says minister

The 2 Sisters plant in Anglesey has been closed due to the outbreak

There is no evidence of "community transmission" of coronavirus after outbreaks at food factories in Llangefni, Wrexham and Merthyr Tydfil, according to Wales' health minister.

Vaughan Gething said the situation is different from Leicester, where broad lockdown measures have been imposed.

216 cases were identified at the 2 Sisters processing plant on Anglesey and 237 at Rowan Foods in Wrexham.

There have been 130 cases at Kepak in Merthyr Tydfil. since April.

More than 1,100 people have now been tested at Rowan Foods, with 101 cases positive tests at Kepak on Saturday out of 810 people tested on that day.

• Kepak worker households told to self-isolate

• Coronavirus cases at Rowan Foods, Wrexham, rise to 166

• 200 cases at 2 Sisters meat plant outbreak in Llangefni

The UK's first full local lockdown has been announced in Leicester, with stricter measures introduced in the city.

Non-essential shops have shut, and schools will close for most pupils on Thursday because of a rise in coronavirus cases.

Mr Gething told journalists on Tuesday the three outbreaks in Wales were "markedly different".

"We do have evidence that there isn't community transmission, we don't see evidence of community transmission taking place," he said,

"In Leicester they don't have an incident that is linked to one workplace, and a distinct group of people to try to contain the spread of the virus within.

"So they're in a position where their spike, their concern, is community-based transmission, that's markedly different from both Llangefni [Anglesey], Wrexham and Merthyr."

Vaughan Gething said Leicester is facing a very different scenario

Anglesey schools remain closed after the 2 Sisters outbreak but the minister ruled out such closures in Wrexham.

"We don't have evidence of community transmission, there is no evidence for closing schools in Wrexham at present," he said.

Speaking at the Welsh Government's daily coronavirus news conference, Mr Gething said ministers have the power to take "wider whole community" measures to contain the disease.

He said he did not want to use those powers and reiterated the importance of people following the Welsh Government's "test, trace, protect" advice.