Asda responds to rumours of coronavirus outbreak at Sheffield supermarket

The supermarket giant issued a statement after rumours of an outbreak at its Chapeltown store.

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One concerned shopper took to Twitter to ask Asda whether staff had tested positive for Covid-19 but details were not disclosed.

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In a statement today, Asda said: “We would never comment on individual colleague’s circumstances, however we are staying close to, and following, the government advice and guidance and should one of our colleagues feel any symptoms of coronavirus, we are asking them to self-isolate and are supporting them in doing so by providing full pay.

“Our customers can rest assured that we have robust control measures and monitoring in to protect our colleagues and customers and keep them safe at our Chapeltown store.”

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Yesterday, Asda announced the closure of a meat processing factory which supplies bacon to the supermarket chain after a coronavirus outbreak.

The Kober Ltd factory in Cleckheaton, which Asda bought in 2016, was closed after a number of coronavirus cases were identified and the government's track and trace system was deployed to find people the affected workers had been in contact with.

Kober is the second Yorkshire meat factory to confirm a coronavirus outbreak.

Cranswick Convenience Foods in Wombwell, Barnsley, which also processes bacon, had nine confirmed cases in the spring. Three workers died and all but two were hospitalised.

A total of 284 hospital patients in Sheffield have died after contracting Covid-19.