A mobile Covid-19 testing facility will be in Borehamwood twice a week following a recent outbreak of cases in the borough.

Hertfordshire County Council says the facility at the Civic Centre in Elstree Way (WD6 1WA) is available to anyone showing symptoms - but tests must be booked through the government website.

This means even though a facility has been brought in more locally, issues nationally with testing capacity at laboratories means people may struggle to book a test immediately.

The facility has been in place for around a week - this week it was in place on Wednesday and will be back again tomorrow (Saturday September 26).

The county council says the facility is provisionally booked for next Wednesday and Saturday (September 30 and October 3) but warned it might not follow the same pattern every week.

The council says the site's opening days are assessed and finalised on a weekly basis.

It is also not clear how many weeks the facility will be in Borehamwood for.

Borehamwood Times:

Credit: PA

The testing facility was introduced after Hertsmere was listed as an 'area of concern' by Public Health England.

A significant outbreak of cases in late August, linked by the county council to teenage house parties in the Borehamwood area, led Hertsmere to have the highest weekly rate of new cases in the whole of the south of England in early to mid September.

Cases have since dropped off - although daily testing is a little lower.

Figures released by Public Health England today show nearly 150 tests a day were carried out on people living in Hertsmere between September 11 and 17 which was less than the week before.

Hertsmere no longer has the highest weekly rate in Hertfordshire after being overtaken by Broxbourne.

In the seven days to September 21, Hertsmere's rate of cases was 34.3 per 100,000 population (36 cases).

In the seven days to September 5, the rate was more than 60.

The county council says some of the latest cases were still linked to the late outbreak in August while other cases were in a care home in the borough.

The drop in cases does not mean the virus has gone away.

In a letter to residents this week, leader of the county council David Williams wrote: "Since the end of lockdown, the vast majority of Hertfordshire residents have been playing their part, adhering to the guidance to help us all stay safe and doing our county proud.

"However, we all know of instances where people have been bending the rules to fit their social interactions.

"The news from Central Government earlier this week needs to be a wake-up call for us all in Hertfordshire. This will involve a change of mindset.

"We all must follow the hands, face and space guidelines as well as the new ‘rule of six’ for meeting people."