(Adds police statement)
LONDON, Jan 27 (Reuters) - A plant in Wales that produces
AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine has been partially evacuated
after a suspicious package was received, the company that
operates it said on Wednesday.
"Wockhardt UK in Wrexham this morning received a suspicious
package to site. All relevant authorities were immediately
notified and engaged," the company said, referring to its
facility in Wales.
"Upon expert advice we have partially evacuated the site
pending a full investigation. The safety of our employees and
business continuity remain of paramount importance."
Earlier, the BBC reported that a police bomb disposal unit
has been sent to the plant.
"We are currently dealing with an ongoing incident on the
Wrexham Industrial Estate," local police said in a statement,
adding that the public should avoid the area.
Wockhardt UK provides fill-and-finish capacity for
AstraZeneca's UK supply chain, which is the final manufacturing
step of putting vaccines into vials or syringes and packaging
them.
AstraZeneca has agreed to supply Britain with 100 million
doses of the vaccine, developed by Oxford University.
(Reporting by Alistair Smout, Michael Holden and Guy
Faulconbridge, editing by Estelle Shirbon)
Astrazeneca (AZN)
