Around 3% of ambulance service staff with no Covid-19 symptoms have tested positive for the virus during a pilot scheme.
Figures released by West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) said 16 of 543 asymptomatic members of its frontline staff had tested positive during a two-day trial.
A spokesman said: “West Midlands Ambulance Service can confirm that it has been taking part in a national project to understand better whether Covid-19 is prevalent among NHS staff and patients who do not have symptoms.
“Testing of ambulance service staff is the third phase of the project.
“In total, 543 frontline ambulance staff who did not have symptoms of coronavirus were tested over two days. Just over 97% came back negative.
“While the number of positive results is very small -16 in total – it does show the importance of us all continuing to practise social distancing.”
WMAS has been at the forefront of testing staff displaying symptoms of Covid-19, with almost 1,500 employees and immediate family members tested.
