AT least 28 workers who have tested positive for coronavirus at the Herefordshire farm in lockdown after a coronavirus outbreak are from Romania.

Romania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said approximately 100 of its citizens work at AS Green and Co in Mathon, and 28 of them have tested positive for Covid-19.

The latest figures from Public Health England show 93 workers at the farm have contracted the virus, meaning around a third of those infected are Romanian. Around 200 are said to be in isolation.

"Romanian citizens are asymptomatic, their health is good, benefitting from daily monitoring by the Public Health Service," a translated statement on the ministry's website added.

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"Also, according to the data communicated to the embassy by the representatives of the British company through which some of the Romanian citizens carry out their activity within the respective farm, the workers were placed in isolation, being provided with food and other necessary goods.

"Workers placed in solitary confinement were exempted from rent during this period.

"Representatives of the British local authorities, including translators, are also present at the farm in question. The MFA also states that, at this time, no workers are working on the farm."

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Herefordshire Council and Public Health England Midlands continue to work with AS Green and Co in Mathon to contain an outbreak of Covid-19 at their farm.

The total number of positive cases linked to the outbreak is now 93, and further testing is ongoing.

PHE said contact tracing with over 100 existing workers continues on-site.

On Wednesday, Herefordshire's director of public health Karen Wright said: “We continue to test workers at the farm and expect to see the number of cases rise over the coming days before social distancing and infection prevention measures start to take effect.

"Workers have been asked to remain on site and self-isolate to reduce risk of spread within the workforce and into the wider community. We’re aware that local residents are concerned, but the risk to the general public remains low.

"We are arranging food and essential supplies to the farm and its workers during the period of isolation."