Two workers at Grimsby seafood factory die from Covid-19 within three days of each other

Two workers at a Grimsby seafood factory have died within three days of each other following a coronavirus outbreak at the site.Hilton Seafood has confirmed that the two staff members died in the three days leading up to March 2nd after testing positive for Covid-19.According to the company, the staff members were being treated at Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital.

The factory, formerly Seachill Ltd, employs more than 300 people, and is one of North East Lincolnshire's major employers.A spokesperson for Hilton Seafood UK said they were "deeply saddened" by the deaths and were in close contact with the families and would provide all the support they could.

Last week, North East Lincolnshire Council confirmed that the area has seen a spike in cases following outbreaks in factories.According to the most recent government data, large spikes in infections are centred around housing estates near to Hilton Seafood, while the majority of North East Lincolnshire has reduced cases.This includes Yarborough, which has the highest case rate in northern Lincolnshire, with a case rate of 453.4 per 100,000 population, and the West Marsh, which has a case rate of 273.1 per 100,000 population. Both of these figures are way above the national average.A spokesperson for North East Lincolnshire Council's Public Health team said that in recent weeks, they had identified an outbreak at the factory and had convened an outbreak control group in partnership with the company and Public Health England to bring the outbreak under control.

Indications suggested that the number of new cases associated with the factory had fallen significantly over the last week.