Sixteen people are infected with coronavirus at bingo night in Staffordshire

More than 1,000 people are awaiting Covid-19 test results after 16 people test positive after attending a bingo event two weeks ago. 

There are now 16 known cases linked to an outbreak at the Silverdale Working Men’s Club on August 16, Staffordshire County Council have said.  

Anyone who visited any of the venues on given dates which have been linked to those who were unknowingly infectious are being advised to get tested as soon as possible.

Those who test positive are being told to self-isolate and their contacts are being traced.  

The venues attended by those who were unknowingly infectious has been tracked and linked back to 12 venues in Silverdale and Newcastle-under-Lyme. 

Anyone who visited the following venues on the specified dates are advised to get tested as soon as possible:

• Silverdale Working Men’s Club – August 16 to 21
• The Bush pub – August 20 to 22 
• The Vine pub – August 20 to 23
• The George & Dragon pub – August 20 to 22 
• Newcastle (King Street) Working Men’s Club – August 22
• The Kiln – August 22 
• The Crown – August 22
• Yates in Newcastle – August 22
• The Roebuck pub – August 23 
• The Bilash restaurant – August 24
• The Arnold Machin – August 26 and 27 
• The Westbury Tavern, Clayton – August 26 and 27  

Staffordshire County Council said testing is available over the bank holiday weekend with appointments available online or by turning up at a Mobile Testing Unit in Knutton or a walk-through centre in Newcastle.

Staffordshire County Council’s Director of Health and Care Dr Richard Harling said: ‘What we are seeing from test and trace activity is a widening network from the original bingo event as people met with friends and family and went out socialising.

‘More than 1,000 people have already been tested, but we need everyone who was at any of the venues on the given dates to get tested.

‘This is vital in our work to identify people who may have the virus and help contain the spread of infection even further.’  

Dr Harling said that on Friday alone more than 500 people came forward to get tested for the virus.  

The council said they are working with Newcastle Borough Council and Public Health England to contain the virus. 

All the venues visited by those who have tested positive can remain open with measures in place and have carried out risk assessments.