Over 1,000 COVID cases linked to Latitude Festival

Over 35,000 people attended last month's Latitude Festival at Henham Park, Suffolk, which went ahead as part of the UK government's Events Research Programme, but according to Suffolk County Council data, more than 1,000 attendees have tested positive for COVID following the festival (via BBC).

The festival, which was headlined by Wolf Alice, The Chemical Brothers, Bastille and Bombay Bicycle Club, required attendees to have a negative lateral flow test (up to 48 hours before the event) or proof of two vaccinations to enter the festival, but according to the findings, over 430 people were likely infectious at the time, while 619 people reportedly got COVID at the festival.

Of the 1,050 people that tested positive for COVID following Latitude, 175 of them live in Suffolk.

Director of Suffolk Public Health Stuart Keeble said, "As Suffolk reopens once again and people attend busy events or attractions, it's important that people continue to be considerate of others and wear a mask or keep their distance where appropriate."

He added that COVID is "still circulating in the county", and said that while large numbers of people have had two vaccinations, "we cannot be sure that those people around us won’t become very unwell if they catch it."

According to Evening Standard, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said, "We’ve shown that we can reintroduce mass sports and cultural events safely but it is important that people remain cautious when mixing in very crowded settings."

"So that we can keep the football season, theatres and gigs safe with full crowds this winter, I urge sport, music and culture fans to get the vaccine as this is the safest way we can get big events firing on all cylinders once more," he added.