7:05 am, December 22, 2020
The DVLA has declared a coronavirus outbreak at its offices in Swansea.
A total of 352 cases of Covid-19 have been identified among workers, including 62 confirmed cases at its contact centre in Swansea Vale, since December 1.
Swansea University Health Board deployed testing facilities to the site from yesterday until Wednesday for the entire workforce to be tested.
The agency’s services will not be disrupted, the DVLA told Car Dealer.
‘Covid infection rates are high in the local community where most of our staff live. Staff safety remains our top priority and we have extensive safety measures in place,’ a spokesperson told Car Dealer.
‘Our services are unaffected and we are still processing applications. Our Contact Centre is currently open but there will be delays if you need to speak to an advisor.’
Sion Lingard, consultant in health protection for Public Health Wales, said: ‘Public Health Wales can confirm that NHS Test Trace Protect has been responding to 62 confirmed cases of Coronavirus in employees at the DVLA Contact Centre in Swansea Vale since December 1.
‘We are all working in close collaboration with our partner agencies and our priority is to reduce the number of cases in this workforce.
‘We would like to encourage all staff at the contact centre to take up the offer of testing available on the site until Wednesday December 23.
‘Finding cases early is key to reducing transmission and risks to those around you. But workers in any workplace may be at risk from infection in social or household settings.’
Figures calculated by the PA news agency based on data published on the Public Health Wales Covid-19 surveillance dashboard show for the seven days to December 17 in Swansea, 747.0 new cases per 100,000 people.
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