A DORSET nursery has closed after a third staff member and a baby whose sibling attends the nursery tested positive for coronavirus.

An email sent from Corner House Day Nursery in Bournemouth to parents confirms the closure after Public Health England informed them of the positive case.

 The email said: “I can confirm that sadly a third member of the staff team has received a positive test result, and as I have said previously Public Health England had already informed me that a third case would lead to a full shut down as a precautionary measure, which we have now put in place.

"Further to the email I sent you on Friday, regarding the baby who tested positive on Friday and the attendance of his sibling at nursery on Thursday, I have since been informed that the initial email we received to inform us that the baby developed symptoms on Wednesday night was incorrect and the parents had sent us a follow up email to say that in fact the symptoms did not appear until Thursday night.

 “I have been assured by the parent that they would never intentionally put any child at risk by sending in their child to nursery if they had known their younger child was showing symptoms of Covid-19.”

The nursery has been contacted for a comment.

Sam Crowe, Director of Public Health for Dorset and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Councils, said: “We are aware of confirmed cases of COVID-19 at The Corner House Day Nursery. The nursery are working closely with Public Health Dorset, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council and Public Health England South West to ensure that all necessary measures are being met.

“All close contacts of the confirmed cases have been notified and advised to self-isolate for 14-days. Contacts of the confirmed cases should get tested if they go on to develop symptoms. Even if people test negative, they must still self-isolate for 14-days.”