Coronavirus outbreak confirmed at NHS test and trace centre

A sign at one of Sitel's two sites in Stratford-on-Avon in Warwickshire. Photograph: Jacob King/PA Wire - Credit: PA

A coronavirus outbreak has been confirmed at an NHS Test and Trace call centre.

Measures have been brought in by NHS Lanarkshire to try to suppress the outbreak, which flared up at the Sitel site in Motherwell.

NHS Test and Trace is a service operated by the NHS in England to track and help prevent the spread of Covid-19 south of the border.

NHS Lanarkshire said it had been notified about ‘potentially linked cases’ of Covid-19 infections in the area on Sunday.

An NHS Test and Trace spokeswoman said: ‘We are aware of a local outbreak of Covid-19 at the Sitel site in Motherwell. This is being managed by Sitel and colleagues in NHS Lanarkshire, who are following appropriate test and protect action in line with Scottish Government advice.


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‘We take the safety and wellbeing of our staff very seriously. Everyone at the site is currently working from home while a deep clean takes place, and will be offered a test within the next 24 hours.’

Dr David Cromie, NHS Lanarkshire consultant in public health medicine, said: ‘We became aware this morning of a number of potentially linked cases of coronavirus in Lanarkshire.

‘We instigated some immediate measures to reduce risk and are currently investigating the situation.’

The news came as Scotland recorded 23 new confirmed cases of coronavirus – the highest increase in almost a month.