A TOTAL of 14 Hinkley Point C workers this week tested positive for Covid-19 after 1,000 tests were carried out across the workforce, an EDF spokesman has confirmed.

All the workers were asymptomatic and were identified by the tests. Their close contacts are now isolating.

The spokesman said the company’s random and targeted testing programmes were recently doubled across the workforce. “We are carrying out over 1,000 tests a week, which is what we set out to achieve.”

He added: “This means that workers who are not showing symptoms are now aware and self-isolating. Our track and trace methods have identified close contacts who are also self-isolating in line with government requirements. This shows the system is working exactly as it was designed to.”

Sixteen technicians are now working full-time on Covid testing at Hinkley C, backed by 24 ‘Covid champions’ who advise workers on the best ways of reducing the risk of spreading the virus.