New evidence has shown that two major sporting events held in England in March could have been responsible for the coronavirus mushrooming across Britain and beyond.
Leaked figures from the Cheltenham area along with strong anecdotal evidence from Liverpool suggest the sporting fixtures could have contributed to the virus’ spread. Both areas now have had significantly above average deaths from the disease.
The figures show that there was a spike in coronavirus cases in the Cheltenham area in the days following the major horse racing festival that started on March 10.
Some Liverpool football fans are understood to have travelled to Cheltenham for the prestigious Gold Cup race straight after the Liverpool versus Atletico Madrid football match on March 11.
More than 3,000 fans had flown from Madrid, a hotbed for the virus, a day after Spain went into partial lockdown with football supporters banned from stadiums. The Spanish fans visited Liverpool’s bars and clubs, places known as hotspots for transmitting Covid-19.
Liverpool has suffered a subsequent spike in coronavirus infection and 247 deaths and Madrid has the world’s highest city death rate after New York. Jurgen Klopp, the Liverpool manager, has been highly critical of Uefa for allowing the game to happen calling it a “criminal act”.
David Prentice, the Liverpool Echo's head of sport, said it was "almost certain" that a large number of Liverpool football fans, including those from Ireland and Sweden, travelled to Cheltenham.
"Liverpool has a very high international fan base, including Irish, Swedes and others. There is every chance that a number attended the Madrid game then went on to the Cheltenham Gold Cup," he told The National. "Racing is very popular with Scousers and Cheltenham's only a two-hour drive."
There is growing criticism of the government decision to allow the Cheltenham Festival to go ahead where a total of 250,000 people mingled over four racing days.
A district adjacent to Cheltenham Racecourse now has the highest recording of Covid-19 admissions in the county of Gloucestershire, according to official records leaked to Gloucestershire Live. The area with postcode of GL52 saw 27 hospital admissions up to April 3 and has one case per 1,600 people.
Cheltenham, whose homes and restaurants hosted many racegoers, has the highest infection rate in south west England.
A number of well-known figures who attended the festival also contracted the illness, including Andrew Parker Bowles, the Duchess of Cornwall’s former husband, the footballer Charlie Austin and the comedian Lee Mack.
More than 20,000 Irish racegoers watched the festival, that included the St Patrick’s Day races held on March 12.
There has been one confirmed case of Covid-19 in Ireland related to someone who attended Cheltenham. Readers of the Irish Times have given anecdotal evidence that more were infected. "I know of a case where a person who is associated with Cheltenham is dead and another member of the family is in intensive care," one reader wrote.
The Cheltenham festival ended three days before social distancing measures were introduced and 10 days before full lockdown on March 23.
Other figures shows that Liverpool had just 14 confirmed cases on March 20 but less than a fortnight later it stood at 309.
Similarly, Gloucestershire, the home county for Cheltenham, has suffered the worst death rate in the least affected region of Great Britain with 147 death and almost 1,000 infections.
Madrid was also a hotbed of infection. The Spanish capital has subsequently suffered 7,765 deaths and 62,000 infections
The Department of Health and Social Care said in statement: “There are many factors that could influence the number of cases in a particular area.”
The Jockey Club said it followed Public Health England guidelines for the festival that included additional handwashing facilities.
