Downing Street has denied that the G7 summit in Cornwall was responsible for a 2,450 per cent increase in Covid-19 coronavirus cases in areas of the county.
Rates in some areas were the G7 was held were up by up to 2,450 per cent compared to those before the G7 Summit, reported Cornwall Live.
However, The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said today that it had always been expected that cases across the country would rise following the last easing of lockdown restrictions in England in May.
“Attendees going to the G7 were tested before arriving and throughout the summit. We are not aware of any cases of transmission to local residents,” the spokesman said.
“We always said that, following the move to step three (of the Government’s road map out of lockdown), we would see cases rising across the country. That is what we are seeing playing out.”
A Cornwall Council Cabinet member had also claimed that the spike wasn't down to G7.
Since hosting world leaders and their respective entourages, media from all over the world and police from across the UK, Cornwall has seen considerable spikes in Covid-19 cases in St Ives, Falmouth, and, to a slightly lesser extent, Newquay.
However, officials suggest the hospitality industry is the main source of the rapid increases - not least because of their relatively young workforces as vaccinations are only now or recently reaching the under-30s.
Click here for in-depth coverage of the G7 Summit with Cornwall Live.
