Staffordshire's mass community testing programme has identified over 500 people with Coronavirus - but without symptoms - since its roll-out began.

Staffordshire County Council began its rapid testing scheme to tackle the "silent spreaders", people who carry the virus but have no symptoms, back towards the end of 2020 with community testing centres in each district and borough supported by mobile pop-ups and local businesses testing staff.

The council says that identifying these people has has prevented more than 1000 other cases.

The number of cases of Covid in the county has been coming down recently, with around 230 new cases every week per 100,000 population - although this remains a little above the England average.

However, the council is still urging people who need to be out and about to get a test, even if they do not display symptoms, and especially if they live in a hotspot area.

Dr Johnny McMahon Staffordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Health, Care and Wellbeing, said: "Passing this milestone demonstrates the vital importance of asymptomatic testing to help prevent the spread of infection.

"Our network of community testing centres, open seven days a week means we have plenty of capacity, which is great.

"However, it is up to individual people to recognise they may be carrying the virus without symptoms to take the positive action and get a test.

"Testing is free, simple and you get your results in around 30 minutes - as these figures show is making a contribution to driving down cases in Staffordshire and saving lives."

Staffordshire residents are now able to drop into Community Testing Centres to get a rapid Covid-19 test. Walk ins are subject to availability at each individual site - to secure a slot, booking is still recommended.

People with symptoms or those who have been asked to self-isolate as a close contact of a Covid case should not attend.