Mobile coronavirus testing unit set up at Wombwell

Situated on Station Road car park at the back of Wombwell Library, the MTU will be open between 10.30am and 4pm for walk in appointments today and tomorrow (July 16-17).

Residents are urged to take a test, even if they are showing no symptoms, as it was revealed at the start of the month that the number of cases in Barnsley is higher than the national average.

A Barnsley Council spokesperson said: "The virus is still out there and Barnsley Council want to be on the front foot. South Yorkshire has higher rates of new Coronavirus cases than the England average and so we must double our efforts as a region to protect ourselves and each other.

"Public Health England (PHE) and national leaders have given permission to use enhanced testing across South Yorkshire to speed up the decline in new cases. This is a great opportunity that has been offered to South Yorkshire by national teams to stop the spread of the virus.

"The council acknowledges that more testing will inevitably mean more positive cases; but it gives us a better chance of getting on top of the spread of the virus.

"More testing will help to identify new cases earlier to trace contacts to prevent transmission."

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