Three hospitalised and "at least" 20 cases of Covid-19 in Ossett, council confirms

Wakefield Council confirmed the numbers following mounting speculation in the area.

Anna Hartley, Wakefield’s director of public health, said: “We are aware of a cluster of Covid-19 cases that has emerged over the past week in Ossett.

"There are currently at least 20 known and connected cases and we have been informed that three of the positive cases have been hospitalised.

“There is lots of speculation about the source of the spread, but the evidence from contact tracing indicates that the transition is the result of community spread.

“This cluster of cases is a really powerful example of how easily the virus can be transmitted, and a stark reminder of the very serious consequences it can have for some people.

“Please remember that you can have a massive impact on your own health and the health of family and friends if you keep following the new measures set out by Government

“I can’t stress enough how important it is that if you have the symptoms of coronavirus - a new continuous cough, high temperature or loss of taste or smell – you should isolate immediately and get a test by accessing local testing or by visiting nhs.uk/coronavirus or calling 119.”