STAFF at a Wrexham food factory have said they are “afraid” to go to work after the number of coronavirus cases associated with it rose to 283.

Workers at Rowan Foods on the town’s industrial estate have claimed it is “almost impossible” to observe social distancing rules at the plant because of a lack of space.

However, they said some employees who had symptoms of COVID-19 had chosen to work regardless as they couldn’t afford to live on statutory sick pay.

An investigation by BBC Radio 5 Live also found personal protective equipment (PPE) was not always being used.

It comes despite the company stating that a visit by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) had raised no serious issues.

Speaking anonymously to the radio station, one worker said:  “I’m afraid with the way it’s going that it’s only going to be a matter of time before I catch it.

“It’s almost as though I’m resigned to the fact I’m going to get it. It’s just a case of when.

“Staff were worried mainly that they can’t afford to be off work.

“I heard people say that if they were told to isolate, they couldn’t afford to live off just the statutory sick pay. So some were staying in work.

“The union started getting involved and started to actually talk to the company with regards to paying the staff that are isolated…so they could actually survive while being off.”

The latest figures released by Public Health Wales today show there have been a total of 283 positive cases of the virus linked to Rowan Foods – accounting for almost a fifth of its workforce.

Unlike the 2 Sisters plant on Anglesey which experienced a similar outbreak, the Wrexham factory has remained open while the localised wave continues.

A petition calling for the site to be closed for 14 days to allow staff to self isolate has received almost 500 signatures.

However, the Welsh Government has so far chosen not to enact powers which would force the company to shut its doors.

Another worker told the BBC: “On the production line it’s impossible to keep a social distance. There are ten people standing on a line standing by each other – it’s not possible.

“We’re sometimes just 30 to 40cm apart and you have nothing between you.

“I don’t know if anyone’s complained as so many don’t speak English. I don’t think they say anything.”

Around two million ready meals are made at the factory each week, many of which are sold at by national supermarket chains.

First Minister Mark Drakeford has urged the UK Government to intervene to provide full pay for staff in self-isolation.

Rowan Foods said the two-day visit conducted by HSE officials last week took a close look at the site’s COVID-19 practices.

Representatives said a number of measures had previously been taken to protect employees with no enforceable action from the government agency.

A spokesman said: “The inspection gave assurance that the considerable measures we put in place in early March 2020 to protect our workforce had been successful and were protecting our colleagues from COVID-19.

“In addition, Public Health Wales has repeatedly confirmed that there is no evidence that Rowan Foods is the source of the outbreak.

“Further, although the Welsh Government has powers to close the site, Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething has confirmed that it has chosen not to do this.

“As such, and with this backing from the UK’s recognised health and safety body, our site continues to remain open.”

The Welsh Government’s Minister for International Relations told today’s daily press conference that new guidelines had been introduced following the outbreaks at Rowan and other food processing plants in Wales.

Eluned Morgan MS said it would continue to push for workers to receive more than just statutory sick pay.

She said: “It is very concerning to hear that people don’t feel safe in their place of work and that is something that we are taking a very close interest in.

“We are in a situation where we are also putting pressure on the UK Government to think again in terms of how they can support people who perhaps should be keeping off work, rather than just relying on the situation where they depend on that statutory sick pay, which is considerably less often than what they’re paid usually.”

Meanwhile, a Public Health Wales official moved to reassure the community that the jump in cases in Wrexham in recent days had been expected while test results from staff at the factory continue to come through.

Dr Christopher Johnson said: “We are reporting a total increase of 46 cases recorded since Monday, but this does not mean that we have seen a jump in the level of infection in the last 48 hours.

“The majority of the increase is as a result of checking on-site sampling with results collected through community, home and drive-through testing centres, not new spread of infection.

“I want to reassure the workforce and wider community that the results we have identified are entirely what we would expect to see when a focused and robust testing regime is put in place.”

The petition calling for the site’s closure can be found at: www.change.org/p/welsh-government-close-down-rowan-foods