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Dozens of celebrities and royals along with hundreds more Cheltenham Festival racegoers could have been infected with coronavirus, it was feared today.
Camilla's ex-husband Andrew Parker Bowles today joined a growing list of famous names thought to have caught the virus at the event held from March 10 and 13, including comedian Lee Mack and West Bromwich Albion footballer Charlie Austin.
Fans were packed into the stands at the world-famous festival with no protection despite fears over the spread of the virus which was then in its early stages in Britain - which is now leading to worries that it could have been a hotbed for the infection.
There are also now further concerns for members of the Royal Family, with Brigadier Parker Bowles in close contact over two days he spent at the event with Camilla, Princess Anne, her daughter Zara Tindall and son-in-law Mike Tindall.
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More than 250,000 people walked in through the gates across the four days – and hundreds of them have claimed online that they have since developed symptoms.
The news will raise fears that more people at the event at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire could have been infected - some without even knowing.
Anyone who attended the festival - which was taking place when Italy was already in lockdown as of March 9 - and caught the virus would have had it by now, given that the event finished three weeks ago and the incubation period is 14 days.
However anyone carrying it - whether or not they knew - could have gone on and infected more people, with patients spreading the virus to two others on average.
It went ahead just two weeks before the lockdown on March 23 – with several high-profile names fearing they caught the virus there, with up to 60,000 attendees daily.
It has also raised further criticism over why the event went ahead, with Twitter users saying the organisers 'need to be held to account' over the decision not to cancel - and prompted more questions on why Ministers did not ban sports event sooner.
At the time there was huge debate over whether it should have been cancelled, with MailOnline's Piers Morgan saying he was 'astonished' it went ahead, and ex-health secretary Jeremy Hunt claiming the Government imposed the lockdown 'too late'.
But organisers The Jockey Club insisted today the festival 'went ahead under Government guidance'. It finished three days before mass gatherings were banned.
But while most of other events were called off by individual sporting bodies, the festival still took place - which has prompted suggestions that Ministers should have done more to ensure all events were called off when the outbreak was in its infancy.
It comes as a poll for MailOnline revealed today that 55 per cent of Britons believe Prime Minister Boris Johnson imposed the coronavirus lockdown 'too late'.
Meanwhile racehorse trainer Charlie Brooks has also revealed fears that he got the virus there – as did two racecourse workers, Andrew Maclean and Scott Saunders.
Andrew Parker Bowles has coronavirus and believes he caught it at the Cheltenham Festival. He is pictured there with Princess Anne. He is pictured there with her on March 10 +30
Andrew Parker Bowles has coronavirus and believes he caught it at the Cheltenham Festival. He is pictured there with Princess Anne. He is pictured there with her on March 10
Andrew Parker Bowles (left) with Zara Tindall (centre) and Princess Anne (right) on day one of the Cheltenham Festival on March 10 +30
Andrew Parker Bowles (left) with Zara Tindall (centre) and Princess Anne (right) on day one of the Cheltenham Festival on March 10
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Andrew Parker Bowles at the Festival on March 11 +30
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Andrew Parker Bowles at the Festival on March 11
Andrew Parker Bowles (right) with Anne and trainer Nicky Henderson (left) on March 11 +30
Andrew Parker Bowles (right) with Anne and trainer Nicky Henderson (left) on March 11
Comedian Lee Mack is thought to have contracted coronavirus at the Cheltenham Festival. The 51-year-old star is pictured at a previous event in Gloucestershire on March 17, 2016 +30
Comedian Lee Mack is thought to have contracted coronavirus at the Cheltenham Festival. The 51-year-old star is pictured at a previous event in Gloucestershire on March 17, 2016
West Bromwich Albion footballer Charlie Austin (left, pictured with a fan on March 10 at the racecourse) believes he contracted coronavirus at Cheltenham last month +30
West Bromwich Albion footballer Charlie Austin (left, pictured with a fan on March 10 at the racecourse) believes he contracted coronavirus at Cheltenham last month
+30
Racehorse trainer Charlie Brooks also fears he got the virus at Cheltenham. He is seen at a previous festival in Gloucestershire on March 14, 2012
This graphic shows which royals met each other during the Cheltenham Festival, before they held other events thereafter. There is a 14-day incubation period with the virus - and someone carrying it is thought to infect an average of two people. Only Prince Charles and DAin the above graphic are known to have contracted coronavirus +30
This graphic shows which royals met each other during the Cheltenham Festival, before they held other events thereafter. There is a 14-day incubation period with the virus - and someone carrying it is thought to infect an average of two people. Only Prince Charles and Andrew Parker Bowles in the above graphic are known to have contracted coronavirus
A third worker, a former footballer in Wales who only wished to be known as Jason, also fears he contracted the infection while employed at the festival.
Other celebrity attendees who are believed to be in good health include singer Lily Allen, TV presenter Nick Knowles, actor Ben Miller, cyclist Victoria Pendleton, tennis coach Judy Murray and cricketer Jonny Bairstow and reality TV star Georgia Toffolo.
There was huge debate at the time of the Festival over whether it should go ahead, especially with dozens of other sports events being cancelled due to the pandemic.
These included Premier League football matches, England's cricket tour of Sri Lanka and Formula One races - all called off on March 13, the last day of Cheltenham.
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Hundreds more people who attended the festival have also taken to social media to claim they contracted the virus while at the event between March 10 and 13.
While most of them have not been tested and cannot prove where they picked up
Camilla's ex-husband Andrew Parker Bowles today joined a growing list of famous names thought to have caught the virus at the event held from March 10 and 13, including comedian Lee Mack and West Bromwich Albion footballer Charlie Austin.
Fans were packed into the stands at the world-famous festival with no protection despite fears over the spread of the virus which was then in its early stages in Britain - which is now leading to worries that it could have been a hotbed for the infection.
There are also now further concerns for members of the Royal Family, with Brigadier Parker Bowles in close contact over two days he spent at the event with Camilla, Princess Anne, her daughter Zara Tindall and son-in-law Mike Tindall.
TOP ARTICLES
1/5
READ MORE
Woman accused of speeding through
coronavirus border control is arrested for 'coughing on officers'
More than 250,000 people walked in through the gates across the four days – and hundreds of them have claimed online that they have since developed symptoms.
The news will raise fears that more people at the event at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire could have been infected - some without even knowing.
Anyone who attended the festival - which was taking place when Italy was already in lockdown as of March 9 - and caught the virus would have had it by now, given that the event finished three weeks ago and the incubation period is 14 days.
However anyone carrying it - whether or not they knew - could have gone on and infected more people, with patients spreading the virus to two others on average.
It went ahead just two weeks before the lockdown on March 23 – with several high-profile names fearing they caught the virus there, with up to 60,000 attendees daily.
It has also raised further criticism over why the event went ahead, with Twitter users saying the organisers 'need to be held to account' over the decision not to cancel - and prompted more questions on why Ministers did not ban sports event sooner.
At the time there was huge debate over whether it should have been cancelled, with MailOnline's Piers Morgan saying he was 'astonished' it went ahead, and ex-health secretary Jeremy Hunt claiming the Government imposed the lockdown 'too late'.
But organisers The Jockey Club insisted today the festival 'went ahead under Government guidance'. It finished three days before mass gatherings were banned.
But while most of other events were called off by individual sporting bodies, the festival still took place - which has prompted suggestions that Ministers should have done more to ensure all events were called off when the outbreak was in its infancy.
It comes as a poll for MailOnline revealed today that 55 per cent of Britons believe Prime Minister Boris Johnson imposed the coronavirus lockdown 'too late'.
Meanwhile racehorse trainer Charlie Brooks has also revealed fears that he got the virus there – as did two racecourse workers, Andrew Maclean and Scott Saunders.
Andrew Parker Bowles has coronavirus and believes he caught it at the Cheltenham Festival. He is pictured there with Princess Anne. He is pictured there with her on March 10 +30
Andrew Parker Bowles has coronavirus and believes he caught it at the Cheltenham Festival. He is pictured there with Princess Anne. He is pictured there with her on March 10
Andrew Parker Bowles (left) with Zara Tindall (centre) and Princess Anne (right) on day one of the Cheltenham Festival on March 10 +30
Andrew Parker Bowles (left) with Zara Tindall (centre) and Princess Anne (right) on day one of the Cheltenham Festival on March 10
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Andrew Parker Bowles at the Festival on March 11 +30
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Andrew Parker Bowles at the Festival on March 11
Andrew Parker Bowles (right) with Anne and trainer Nicky Henderson (left) on March 11 +30
Andrew Parker Bowles (right) with Anne and trainer Nicky Henderson (left) on March 11
Comedian Lee Mack is thought to have contracted coronavirus at the Cheltenham Festival. The 51-year-old star is pictured at a previous event in Gloucestershire on March 17, 2016 +30
Comedian Lee Mack is thought to have contracted coronavirus at the Cheltenham Festival. The 51-year-old star is pictured at a previous event in Gloucestershire on March 17, 2016
West Bromwich Albion footballer Charlie Austin (left, pictured with a fan on March 10 at the racecourse) believes he contracted coronavirus at Cheltenham last month +30
West Bromwich Albion footballer Charlie Austin (left, pictured with a fan on March 10 at the racecourse) believes he contracted coronavirus at Cheltenham last month
+30
Racehorse trainer Charlie Brooks also fears he got the virus at Cheltenham. He is seen at a previous festival in Gloucestershire on March 14, 2012
This graphic shows which royals met each other during the Cheltenham Festival, before they held other events thereafter. There is a 14-day incubation period with the virus - and someone carrying it is thought to infect an average of two people. Only Prince Charles and DAin the above graphic are known to have contracted coronavirus +30
This graphic shows which royals met each other during the Cheltenham Festival, before they held other events thereafter. There is a 14-day incubation period with the virus - and someone carrying it is thought to infect an average of two people. Only Prince Charles and Andrew Parker Bowles in the above graphic are known to have contracted coronavirus
A third worker, a former footballer in Wales who only wished to be known as Jason, also fears he contracted the infection while employed at the festival.
Other celebrity attendees who are believed to be in good health include singer Lily Allen, TV presenter Nick Knowles, actor Ben Miller, cyclist Victoria Pendleton, tennis coach Judy Murray and cricketer Jonny Bairstow and reality TV star Georgia Toffolo.
There was huge debate at the time of the Festival over whether it should go ahead, especially with dozens of other sports events being cancelled due to the pandemic.
These included Premier League football matches, England's cricket tour of Sri Lanka and Formula One races - all called off on March 13, the last day of Cheltenham.
RELATED ARTICLES
Previous
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Camilla Parker Bowles's ex-husband Andrew has coronavirus...
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PIERS MORGAN: Britain's heroic NHS lions are being led by...
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Hundreds more people who attended the festival have also taken to social media to claim they contracted the virus while at the event between March 10 and 13.
While most of them have not been tested and cannot prove where they picked up
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Replies: 44
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I went Thursday and Friday and never caught nowt
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"Camilla's ex-husband Andrew Parker Bowles today joined a growing list of famous names thought to have caught the virus at the event held from March 10 and 13, including comedian Lee Mack and West Bromwich Albion footballer Charlie Austin".
So that 'growing list' weighs in at a grand total of three. |
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Didn't Lee Mack admit he got it from his driver who drove him to cheltenham everydaym.
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i also went on the friday with the wife and we have been fine since
Z graded celebs seeking publicity in these quiet times |
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A right load of old bowlocks.
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we could do with getting rid of a few of these celebs in any circumstances
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I went everyday and stood in the stands with the crowds most races. I used the hand sanitiser which was available everywhere every half hour.
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An unwitting asymptomatic carrier?
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Movingwiththetimes I used that sanitizer all week I ended up with cuts on my hands through it,but thankfully no coved 19
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Odd how obsessed they are with the festival BUT NOT WITH
Liverpool v Athletico Madrid 11th March Rangers v Leverkusen 12th March Fans flying in for Germany & Spain ....yes Spain . |
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its been stated that a champions league match between italian and spanish teams was a major
contributor to the outbreaks in those countries |
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horse racing an easy target whereas football is sacrosanct
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Foxy
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isleham 02 Apr 20 15:50
we could do with getting rid of a few of these celebs in any circumstances They keep putting vlogs of the feckers on the news with some shyte song or uninteresting anecdote/platitude. Don't we see enough of em already? |
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cheltenham racing will have cost lives it was a disgrace racing and planes landing from italy spain and still landing
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you can be a carrier and have no symptoms no testing so no one knows which is how its spread so rapidly
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who is going to admit to being a bit stupid going knowing the risks i bet bookies attending has got it but dont think your going to here about it, wall of silence, as pointed out a few will die after attending, like Russian roulette
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I went to Cheltenham of my own choice nobody made me go .
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what about football,thousands went through
the turn styles. |
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pity people having contact with you in street,bar,supermarket,work don't have the same choice
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Us men have always kept a distance in the urinals.
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Where I have an issue is the people who went to the festival but complained afterwards that the meeting shouldn't have gone ahead, citing that they were ill informed before hand as to the severity of the situation as if we were somehow deceived, Blake has said this sort of thing.
I didn't go this year, (not because of the virus) but did go last year, I think that I had received enough information before this years festival went ahead to realize how serious this situation was, if I went I would have done so with this knowledge, and regardless of the upshot for me I would not subsequently complain about it. You can't have your cake and eat it. |
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duffy, you were a silly character on here many, many years ago, you fool, and you haven't yet developed intelligence, but compounded only your own foolery, you simple sliding step of s........
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Local Cheltenham paper shows 209 cases
19 died Not an epidemec figure  |
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Cheers Cutter for that contribution
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im afraid the more time passes the decision to allow sport and life in general to operate as normal that period will look increasingly ill judged
but at that time we had the herd immunity , take it on the chin strategy so i can see why |
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Duffy, I had this lot in my undercrackers back in the early days, and they hated every minute of it, but they didn't have the skill to even tease me.
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The issue isn't whether it should or shouldn't have gone ahead, it emphatically should not have, but there will be plenty who desperately wanted it on regardless and went but now are moaning that they weren't saved from themselves.
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Duffy, I didn't want to say this, but you name is akin to 'muffy' and feminine.
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I'm not surprised Cutter, you're quite clearly a smart cookie..cutter
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Yep, I sang a song
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Hicuupping and nothing falling, Duffy?
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I was at cheltenham and last week i had a cough for 7 days, if it was or was not i dont know
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F@@@ me you have nt seen my boss
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I wouldn't want to see a spider or a frog?
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there was a thread on facebook about workers best one liners
offshore worker said a rather heavy plain looking girl in the canteen said THERE,S ABOUT 3,000 FOOT OF **** ON THIS RIG AND I CANT GET AN INCH |
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Don't blame horseracing.
The main spread is linked to London, the Underground and the trains and the cars that take people back and forth across the country from that **** every night. London is the heart of the country? Yeah, right. That means it pumps it's infection through the arteries and veins that are the tubes and trains and motorways that constitute the rest of our body/country. And still thy stand face to face in the carriages. |
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South west is first region showing a DECLINE in
cases  |