Coronavirus: Workers at Tesco distribution centre in Livingston test positive for Covid-19

A number of workers have tested positive for Covid-19 at a Tesco distribution centre in West Lothian.

The facility, in Carnegie Road in Livingston, is thought to supply more than 300 Tesco stores across Scotland, Northern Ireland and north-east of England.

A Tesco spokesperson said: “The small number of colleagues that have tested positive for Covid-19 at our Livingston Distribution Centre are self-isolating and their close contacts have been informed.

"We take the health and safety of our colleagues extremely seriously and are working closely with public health authorities. We have measures in place to ensure colleagues stay 2m apart throughout our centres and hand-sanitiser, masks, gloves and visors available to all colleagues.”

The Tesco distribution centre in Livingston. Pic: Google

The spokesperson was unable to provide details on how many staff tested positive and whether any evidence has been found for transmission to other stores linked to the distribution centre.

According to the Scottish Sun, the distribution centre supplies 318 stores and around 3.6 million boxes of produce through it each week. It is about two million square feet in size, the equivalent of 712 tennis courts.

It follows an outbreak last month at the 2 Sisters food processing plant in Coupar Angus, Perth and Kinross, and NHS Tayside confirmed there have been 201 cases linked to this as of September 2. Of those, 174 were factory workers and a further 27 were community contacts.