ALL remaining workers on a farm near Malvern have tested negative for coronavirus.
No new cases have been recorded in the outbreak at Rook Row Farm at Mathon.
Herefordshire County Council and Public Health England have confirmed all remaining workers have tested negative for the virus, with the majority now able to return to normal work and daily life.
A number of workers are remaining on-site in self-isolation as contacts of positive cases.
As many as 142 cases were linked to the outbreak, which was first reported on July 12.
It also emerged workers from the vegetable farm, run by AS Green and Co, had visited shops in Worcester and Malvern including the Morrison's at the Malvern Retail Park.
READ MORE: 142 confirmed coronavirus cases at Rook Row Farm near Malvern
Katie Spence, PHE Midlands health protection director, said: “This has been a significant outbreak, and the first of its kind.
“We have worked closely with the farm management to support the health and wellbeing of their workforce and wider public health.
“The management at AS Green and Co are to be commended on the way their swift and responsible reporting has helped contain the outbreak on the site and prevented transmission into the community.
“This outbreak highlights the importance of the need to self-isolate when you know you are COVID-19 positive, or have been in contact with someone who is, especially if you live with other people.”
Karen Wright, Public Health director for Herefordshire Council said: “This outbreak has been successfully contained by the multi-agency response, the farm management, and the workers based on the farm.
READ MORE: How we reported the outbreak when it was first revealed
“We are all learning about the impact COVID-19 has on our health and our economy.
“This outbreak has helped shape the national workplace guidance, and how businesses can continue to operate alongside a COVID-19 outbreak.
“There is no doubt that without the actions taken by AS Green and Co, this could have been an outbreak on a much bigger scale.
“I’d like to thank them for all their support to help prioritise the health and wellbeing of the workforce and the residents of Herefordshire.”
Workers on the farm at AS Green and Co live in caravans on-site where they pick broccoli and other vegetables for supermarkets.
Despite this, the risk to shoppers buying vegetables is said to be low.
READ MORE: Workers from coronavirus outbreak farm visited shops in Worcester and Malvern
An AS Green and Co spokesman said: “We are grateful for the support provided by Public Health England and Herefordshire Council to help control the COVID-19 outbreak.
“The real challenge has been that of those who tested positive, 98 per cent reported having no symptoms at all.
“We are pleased to say that due to existing and additional control measures, there was no transmission into the local community and all those tested have now tested negative.
“The health of our workforce and our local community has been and continues to remain our highest priority.
“We have been overwhelmed by the support from our customers, associated businesses within the industry, the NFU and the local community.
“We continue to focus on the harvesting and packing of fresh healthy vegetables for our customers, ensuring consumers can enjoy fresh British produce as part of a healthy balanced diet.”
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