The leader of Hertfordshire County Council is having to self-isolate after a family member tested positive for Covid-19.

Cllr Richard Roberts joined meetings of the cabinet and the Herts Growth Board remotely this week – rather than joining colleagues in-person.

And it has now emerged that he had to stay away from County Hall, as he is part-way through a 10-day period of self-isolation.

Cllr Roberts says his period of self-isolation began on Saturday, when a family member started to show symptoms of the Covid-19 virus – which were then confirmed with a PCR test.

Infection rates in Hertfordshire are rising with daily cases well into triple figures.

There have been nearly 1,400 cases recorded in the county since June 14, although some districts like St Albans, Dacorum, Welwyn Hatfield, and East Hertfordshire are recording more cases than others.

Cllr Roberts says it the jump in new cases proved as a reminder that the virus is "still out there".

And he hopes this experience will remind others that it’s still important to take the necessary precautions – and to be vaccinated, when eligible.

He said: "The serious point to make is that the virus is still out there.

"We still need to take care and the precautions of washing hands, making space and wearing masks. The virus is no respect of anybody’s front door.

"I am looking forward as much as everybody else to the release from the current restrictions. But this is a timely reminder that the virus – and the Delta variant, which is twice as infectious – is around us.

"It’s still out there – and particularly for younger people, who haven’t yet had the jab. My advice is to try and get your jab as soon as you can. And we can enjoy the summer knowing we are protected from the virus."

Cllr Roberts will continue to self isolate until June 29.

Hertfordshire's director of public health today said the rise in cases that we have seen would be "very worrying" if we did not have vaccines.

He added: ’How do we open up Hertfordshire safely? Get your jabs, do as much as you can outside and keep doing the basics. We don’t want to go backwards."