Real Journalism by Leeds Hacks

Did Leeds promotion lead to COVID-19 spike?

white and black soccer ball on grass field
Photo by Wesley Tingey
As Leeds United sealed their return to the top flight of English football, fans flocked to Elland Road to celebrate in unison.

The city saw a spike in coronavirus cases shortly after the unofficial promotion party as cases rose from five to thirty in just twelve days.

The Coronavirus pandemic prevented fans from witnessing the final push for promotion, which was ironically sealed in a game Leeds weren’t involved in, with local rivals Huddersfield beating West Bromwich Albion.

The celebrations at Elland Road marked the first time fans had been together at the ground in four months due to COVID-19 restrictions forcing the postponement of the season, with the remaining games played behind closed doors.

The joyous occasion was not without consequence however, as Coronavirus cases reached double figures in the city in the days following the celebration.

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