Warning as Tring & Berkhamsted see covid-19 cases rise

There are worries about rising numbers of coronavirus cases in Tring and Berkhamsted.

Hertfordshire County Council say existing measures haven't been enough to control an outbreak amongst young people and are encouraging all to stick to social distancing.

There have reportedly been a number of new cases across Tring, Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead.

In a tweet this morning, the council said:

"All residents in Dacorum need to pay close attention to this serious issue of the spread of COVID-19 within the local community."

Herts and Bucks are seeing slight rises, week on week, but not as dramatic as some parts of the UK, such as in the North West and Glasgow.

Cllr Tim Hutchings, Executive Member for Public Health said:

"We can confirm there are a significant number of positive COVID-19 cases across the Dacorum area - with a specific rise of cases in Hemel Hempstead.

"Existing self-isolation and testing measures have not been effective at managing to contain this local outbreak amongst the original group of young people (17-19yrs olds) in a small number of pubs and cafes in the Tring and Berkhamsted area. This has raised a few specific issues including: the importance continuing to self-isolate if they are a known contact (even if they have recently tested negative);

"We now need all residents in Dacorum to pay really close attention to this serious issue of the spread of COVID-19 within the local community. Specifically, if you think that you may have come into contact with someone with COVID-19 you should self-isolate for 14 days. If you are feeling unwell, you should call 119 or book a test at** www.gov.uk/coronavirus**"

In addition, Hertfordshire County Council Public Health and Dacorum Borough Council are doing a number of key measures in the local area. They are:

• Keeping under close watch, any new cases in the Dacorum area, on a daily basis, and if necessary, deciding whether to enact local powers (eg including an enforced local lockdown);

• Have put in place additional 'surge capacity; for local Contact Tracing by Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) for priority cases in addition to the National Test and Trace;

• Writing to the specific premises with linked cases and requesting them to contact all their known customers;

• Writing to all cafes, pubs and restaurants in the Dacorum borough to warn them of the imminent threat to their businesses, of a local lockdown if they don't follow stringently, the existing guidance - especially to keep the contact details of all customers (where required);

• Trading standards will be ramping up their spot checks on licensed premises and Hertfordshire police will be using their enforcement powers at unlawful events

• Ensuring that that every 'significant contact' of an infected person who needs to self-isolate is given much clearer, written guidance on what they must do to comply with the national Public Health England advice;

• Promoting the existing twice-weekly mobile testing sites in Hemel Hempstead, as well as the other nearby testing sites. If you think that you may have been exposed to COVID-19 or are feeling unwell, you should visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus or call 119 for more information;

• coronavirus
• tring
• berkhamsted