PORTERS were unwittingly spreading Covid at a hospital since closed to new patients for at least a week.
More than 200 porters and cleaners were screened after a spike in cases.
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At least 80 tested positive. Many showed no symptoms.
All 2,000 staff are now being screened while rooms are deep cleaned at Weston General Hospital, Somerset.
The hospital has not been accepting new patients since 8am on Monday.
A leaked memo revealed cases in patients rose from 30 to 64 last week.
A source close to the hospital told The Sun: “It’s workers like porters, cleaners and admin staff who are going all around the hospital working hard to keep things ticking over.
“Some of these staff were asymptomatic so until the number of cases among staff and patients became apparent it was not clear they were spreading it.
“The hospital first tested over 200 porters and other similar staff and found that 40 per cent had the virus.”
Unison rep Liz French said worried staff had been left in the dark by bosses.
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