Dura Bed factory in Batley forced to close after eight staff infected with coronavirus

Kirklees Council has confirmed that Dura Bed factory in Batley has been forced to close following a new coronavirus outbreak among staff.
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Eight out of the 107 factory staff at the Batley site have tested positive for the virus this week.

The council says it is working with Public Health England and the factory to manage the outbreak and a mobile testing unit has been set up on site.

All staff will now be offered Covid-19 tests.

Dura Beds in Batley (Photo: Andrew Bellis)Dura Beds in Batley (Photo: Andrew Bellis)
Dura Beds in Batley (Photo: Andrew Bellis)
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Dura have taken the decision to close the facility for two weeks following the outbreak, as a safety precaution for its employees and their families.

Those who have tested positive will be followed up by the NHS Test and Trace programme.

People who might have come into contact with an infected staff member will be contacted and may be advised to self-isolate for 14 days.

A spokesperson for Kirklees Council said: "While the risk to residents from this outbreak is very low, everyone in Kirklees should continue to socially distance, wash hands regularly for 20 seconds with soap and water and get tested if they have symptoms."

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Batley and Spen MP Tracy Brabin MP has called for the public to 'work together' to help defeat the virus.

In a statement released this afternoon, she said: "Whilst I understand this news may be worrying, I want to reassure them that Kirklees Council, Public Health England and the employer at the workplace concerned have acted swiftly and are doing everything they can to keep this contained.

""They have my full support in doing so and I have been assured that contact tracing and rigorous testing are being used to identify and isolate positive cases."