The NHS Test and Trace chief is concerned about coronavirus spreading in South Asian communities in England.
The news follows as, video footage and pictures revealed by the Telegraph show the mayor of Luton Cllr Tahir Malik at a packed garden party with at least twelve other men, in breach of social distancing rules, he championed at the time.
Luton Borough Council has launched an investigation into the actions of the mayor and two other senior Labour councillors pictured at the gathering on Tuesday evening.
Two days later, Public Health England (PHE) upgraded Luton to an ‘area of intervention’ in response to a flare-up in Covid-19 cases. Health bosses are increasingly concerned about infection rates among the town’s large South Asian community, with people living on two terraced streets told to get tested.
During the pandemic Cllr Malik has repeatedly urged Luton’s Muslim community to follow government guidelines “for their own and loved ones’ safety”, including staying at home during the Eid festival.
In April he wrote an open letter praising volunteers and emergency services, adding: “Social distancing is very important in our fight against the virus.”
He later seemed to backtrack on his views, on Thursday he retweeted a post suggesting the recent spike in Luton had been caused by “false tests”.
In Luton, the rate actually fell to 24.8 cases per 100,000 in the week to July 20 from 31.8 the previous week, although Luton Borough Council said it had agreed with Government officials that gyms, pools, and other leisure facilities will not reopen as planned on July 25.
A spokesman for Luton Borough Council said: “The council has received complaints concerning the alleged conduct of three councillors. We take all such complaints extremely seriously and an investigation into their alleged behaviour will be started and a decision arrived at.”
NHS Test and Trace chief Hazel Simmons is concerned about coronavirus spreading in South Asian communities in England.
Hazel Simmons, the council leader, said: “Please pass these important messages on to your family and friends and if you can, stay at home.”
NHS Test and Trace chief Baroness Dido Harding told the BBC: “We are all learning what makes different communities, different professions, different parts of the country more vulnerable,
“There are a mix of things, and certainly we are seeing a very high prevalence in the South Asian community across the country.”
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Editor-in-Chief | Carl D. Pearson has been involved in British politics and media from an early age, with the key knowledge of what it takes to run a news organisation for the 21st century. Mr Pearson, as Editor-in-chief, is responsible for supervising the daily tasks of publishing media and content to UNN’s website and various platforms.
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