Community testing finds almost 600 cases of coronavirus in Derbyshire

More than 48,000 tests on Derbyshire residents have been carried out at the centres across the county, with 587 positive cases found since the first centre opened in December.

A further 10,066 tests on people who live outside the county have been carried out, but Derbyshire County Council does hold these results.

The council now has nine sites in Swadlincote, Heanor, Long Eaton, Matlock, Clay Cross, Chesterfield, Buxton, New Mills and Bolsover.

Dean Wallace, the council’s Director of Public Health, said: “It has been a massive task to set these centres up in communities across the county, but to see that we have identified nearly 600 cases is a great step forward.

“Each one of these people who tested positive had no symptoms, so unbeknown to them they could have been spreading the virus to their families and work mates.

“By getting a regular test people are helping to stop the spread of coronavirus, and although the rate of infection is coming down, we still need to do more.

“I’d urge anyone, and in particular those whose job means they are going out of the home to work, to get tested regularly.”

In Chesterfield, a total of 3,100 people have been tested at Queens Parks Sport Centre with 34 positive cases as of Friday, March 5.

While across three council testing sites in Bolsover – two of which have since closed – a total of 10,868 tests have been carried out.

At Clay Cross Social Centre, a total of 2,023 people have been tested and seven positive cases have been found.

And at County Hall, in Matlock, 603 tests have been carried out although none have been positive.

In the Pavilion Gardens testing site, in Buxton, a total of 1,996 tests have been carried out and 21 positive cases have been found.

Bolsover’s testing site at Shirebrook Village Hall, now closed, has the highest percentage of positive tests – detecting 45 out of the 2,832 conducted.

More information about the community testing centres is at derbyshire.gov.uk/communitytesting.

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