Coronavirus News: Nearly 900 Workers Test Positive For COVID-19 At A Single Tyson Meat Plant

A Tyson Foods (TSN) pork processing plant in Indiana had nearly 900 workers reportedly test positive for the coronavirus. The plant employs about 2,200 workers.

Tyson Foods announced that it was voluntarily closing the Logansport, Indiana, plant on April 25, and was working with local health officials on re-opening the facility next week with limited production.

The number of employees infected with COVID-19 is a jump of more than 700 confirmed cases at the plant that was reported last week by the Cass Country Health Department in Indiana, the Indianapolis Star reported.

Cass County Health Department reported 1,283 COVID-19 cases in the county as of Tuesday, with 890 of the cases reportedly coming from the Tyson Foods plant, WISH, a CW affiliate out of Indianapolis, reported.

Serenity Alter, a Cass County Health Department administrator, told the news outlet that she expects the number of COVID-19 positive cases to continue to increase at the meat processing plant.

She said, “We were in good shape for a couple weeks and then just within the couple weeks it kind of blew up.”

Tyson told the same news outlet that it has been working with health officials and has added additional safety measures at the plant.

The company said in a statement, “We've been screening worker temperatures, requiring protective face coverings and conducting additional cleaning and sanitizing. We’ve also implemented social distancing measures, such as workstation dividers and more breakroom space.”

Tyson released another statement on Friday about resuming operations at the plant, with Todd Neff, senior vice president pork at Tyson Foods saying “We’ve taken additional precautions to reassure team members that they are returning to a safe work environment and have made additional changes to continue supporting them during this global health crisis.

“While the facility was idled, we added more workstation barriers, installed more hand sanitizer dispensers, and did additional deep cleaning and sanitation. We’re also now screening employees for additional symptoms and designating monitors to help enforce social distancing, while following the CDC and OSHA’s guidance for Meat and Poultry Processing Workers and Employers.”

Shares of Tyson Foods stock were down 3.95% as of 2:22 p.m. EDT on Friday.