HEALTH officials continue to investigate a cluster of Covid-19 cases in Blaenau Gwent linked to a food processing plant.

Hundreds of staff at the Zorba Delicacies Limited site, in Ebbw Vale's Rassau industrial estate, have been tested for coronavirus after four confirmed cases were linked to the food plant.

Speaking outside the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport yesterday, health minister Vaughan Gething said the results of those tests could be expected in the next few days.

"There are a handful of cases linked to the site," Mr Gething told the Argus. "There’s no suggestion the site is not operating its business in a responsible way, but because there’s a cluster of cases there, we’re investigating and testing... and I’ll be making sure that an update is provided."

The minister reiterated comments that features of food processing plants ­- cold areas and metal surfaces for food preparation - could produce "a sort of environment where, if coronavirus is there, it could last for longer".

But, he added, "there’s no suggestion, as far as I’ve seen, that Zorba are doing anything other than being a responsible business in the way they operate the site".

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The Ebbw Vale incident - like recent clusters of cases linked to workplaces in Merthyr Tydfil and north Wales - proves the virus must still be treated seriously, Mr Gething added.

"It’s still there and it’s really important we don’t drop our guard in the autumn and the winter," he said.

The health minister is expected an "extraordinary" winter, and called on the UK government to restore dialogue with the devolved administrations.

"It’s difficult – you’ve heard the first minister say there’s been no direct contact for some time with the prime minister, and that’s the prime minister’s choice," Mr Gething said.

"I think we would all be better in each of the four nations if there was a move back to the regular conversations that took place between the first ministers of the UK and the prime minister – and senior ministers – but at this point in time the UK government don’t appear to be willing to reintroduce the COBRA meetings they chose to end some weeks ago, because the pandemic is not over.

"Every UK nation is planning for what could be a very difficult – and what I say will be an extraordinary – winter."