Virus infects 18% of workers at beef plant in Washington
Published 5:00 pm Friday, May 15, 2020
Nearly one in five workers at Tyson Foods’ beef plant in Pasco, Wash., tested positive for COVID-19, the company reported Friday.
Some 1,482 workers were tested and 277, or slightly more than 18%, had the coronavirus, according to a Tyson press release. A total of 126 workers were tested while seeking care from their health-care providers. Another 151 cases were identified during plant-wide testing April 24 and 25.
More than half of the workers who tested positive did not have symptoms, and more than half are considered recovered, according to the company.
Co-workers held a roadside vigil on Friday for three Tyson workers whose deaths are linked to COVID-19, the Tri-City Herald reported.
Citing the outbreak, absent workers and community concern, Tyson idled the plant April 23. Limited production resumed May 5. During the closure, workers were tested and the plant cleaned. At full production, the plant packages enough beef in a day to feed 4 million people, according to the company.
Tyson has suspended operations at several meat plants across the country because of the coronavirus.
About 14% of 1,467 workers at a pork plant in Nebraska and 12% of 403 workers at a poultry plant in Maine tested positive, according to the company. A majority of the workers who tested positive at the poultry plant had no symptoms, the company reported.