Swindon's residents told they cannot let their "guard down" to COVID after 102 pupils test positive at local school

The Borough Council has issued a rallying cry to residents.

According to the Office for National Statistics about one in 16 in Northern Ireland are likely to have had Covid-19 over the festive period.
Author: Matt HutchinsonPublished 23rd Oct 2020
Last updated 23rd Oct 2020

People across Swindon have been given a "stark warning" to Coronavirus, after 102 pupils and eight staff members tested positive at a local performing arts school.

That's according to the Borough Council, which has described the outbreak as the town's "largest to date".

All pupils and workers at Wilkes Academy, in Westmead, have been asked to self-isolate at home since it suspended face-to-face teaching on 12 October.

'We must remain vigilant'

This morning (23/10), the authority said that it's in regular contact with the school - working alongside Public Health England.

It added: "While the risk of a wider community spread from this outbreak is low, it’s a reminder of just how quickly the disease can flare up.

"We must remain vigilant and each continue to take personal responsibility for following the guidance and taking prevention measures".