At a seafood processing plant in Oregon, more than a dozen workers have tested positive for the coronavirus. As a result two of Bornstein Seafood’s facilities in Astoria have been forced to temporarily close.
According to local news station KGW8, Bornstein Seafood vice president Andrew Bornstein says that so far at least thirteen workers have tested positive for COVID-19.
When asked to comment on the situation, Bornstein told the outlet, “At this time our two Astoria seafood plants have been shut down, and we are working hand in hand with county health officials to increase testing and implement contact tracing. We are advising all of our employees to self-isolate and quarantine as advised by Public Health until further notice and guidance.”
Over the weekend the company informed the county health department that one of its employees had tested positive. The Clatsop County Department of Public health then began testing more of the employees as a precaution.
On Saturday, at least 35 employees were tested and more plans have been made to test additional workers over the next few days. In the meantime, all employees have been advised to self-isolate.
This news came just after 116 workers in a meatpacking plant in Oklahoma tested positive for the coronavirus causing disruption in the food supply chain all across the U.S.
A spokesperson for Seaboard Foods, David Eaheart, said that that at least 116 workers at the meat processing plant in Guymon have tested positive. The plant employs over 2,700 people. Earheart said in a statement that the company has implemented a “temporary COVID-19 Leave Policy and Support Plan” in order to help employees who may become ill with the virus. However, some employees claim the plants do not follow social distancing rules, which may be the reason for the disease spreading across the factory so quickly.
