More than 370 workers at a pork plant in Missouri tested positive for coronavirus. All were asymptomatic
373 employees and contract workers at Triumph Foods in Buchanan County, Missouri, have tested positive for coronavirus. All of them were asymptomatic, according to a press release from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
The state of Missouri has reported 8,386 cases and 352 deaths statewide as of Sunday night, according to the Health Department Website.
Triumph, a pork processing plant, is located in St. Joseph, on the border of Missouri and Kansas.
It is just one of dozens of meat packing plants and food processing facilities across the country that have seen outbreaks of the virus, forcing shutdowns and sparking concerns of possible food shortages.
Ongoing testing at the plant
Testing at the plant has been ongoing since last week and results have been coming in over the past few days, the release from DHSS said.
As of April 30, at least 1,500 had been tested, a previous release said.
"We continue to work this weekend contacting these asymptomatic patients and have initiated the process of contact tracing with those determined to be close contacts of our positive cases," Dr. Randall Williams, director of DHSS, said in the release.
DHSS wants those with symptoms or those who have been in contact with a positive case to reach out to their healthcare provider for testing.
17% of employees tested positive
Mark Campbell, CEO of Triumph Foods, thanked employees for undergoing testing in a video message Sunday. "Being swabbed wasn't much fun, yet the test results will be critical to helping us understand where the coronavirus is in our facility and our communities."
Those with positive test results have been asked to stay home and self-isolate. They will be paid under the company's Covid wage continuation policy, according to Campbell.
The company is also providing care packages, including hand sanitizer and face masks, to infected workers. In an effort to slow the spread, the company continues to deep clean, sanitize and disinfect the facility, Campbell said.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/04/us/triumph-foods-outbreak-missouri/index.html?utm_term=15885882614254e14097d757c&utm_source=Five+Things+for+Monday%2C+May+4%2C+2020&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=203234_1588588261439&bt_ee=CFmquP9Y6epafI%2FhyAEatVICvfTCzI07U0aHOGrYvcbezKHgTkhDKfR%2FzTzKuHil&bt_ts=1588588261439
