More than 350 waiting on coronavirus tests after revellers 'crammed like sardines' in Staffordshire pub
MORE than 350 people are waiting on coronavirus test results after a major outbreak was linked to a Staffordshire pub.
Footage showed revellers crammed together "like sardines" at The Crown and Anchor in Stone, Staffordshire – and so far 16 people have tested positive for the virus.
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Eyewitnesses described the pub as being "packed in like sardines" with as many as 200 punters at the venue.
However now, over 350 people are awaiting coronavirus test results linked to the pub.
Five of the 16 people who tested positive for Covid-19 did so after coming into contact with someone else who had visited the pub – known as secondary transmission.
Dr Richard Harling, director of health and care at Staffordshire County Council, said: “They are from all over the place – 13 in Staffordshire and three in Stoke on Trent.
“Five are from the Stone area, with three from elsewhere in Stafford Borough.
COVID OUTBREAK
"There are another three in Stoke-on-Trent, three in the Staffordshire Moorlands and two from Newcastle-under-Lyme.
"We are now having conversations with all the cases to make sure they are self-isolating – and to identify their contacts and have conversations with their contacts to make sure they are also self-isolating.
“We are not currently considering any restrictions in Stone or elsewhere. We will keep that under review, depending on how many other cases we get.
"Of the 498 people tested on Wednesday we have had 130 results back which are negative which is good. There are 368 results still to come.
“We will take appropriate action depending on how many more cases come and we are happy to update the community when that information comes through.”
PUB REVELLERS
Visitors and staff who were at the boozer between July 16 and 18 have been told self-isolate and urgently get swabs done.
It comes after videos showed 'hundreds' of people squashed up next to one another at the pub.
Revellers were rammed in the pub's beer garden "like sardines," and the footage went viral on social media.
MP for Stone, Bill Cash, said authorities were moving as fast as they can, calling the situation at the Crown and Anchor "very serious".
It comes after a bar in Manchester was forced to shut after three staff members tested positive for coronavirus.
Thom's Bar and Kitchen, in Stockport, reopened on 'Super Saturday' but has now had to close its doors again following the positive cases.
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