Tyson halts production of Storm Lake facility after COVID-19 outbreak
Tyson Foods announced that it is shutting down its Storm Lake, Iowa, pork processing plant after the Iowa Department of Public Health confirmed an outbreak of COVID-19 at the facility. Iowa Department of Public Health Deputy Director Sarah Reisetter said that 555 of the plant’s 2,517 employees had tested positive for Coronavirus.
According to the Des Moines Register, the company attributed the closure in Storm Lake in part to "a delay in COVID-19 testing results and team member absences related to quarantine." It said it was ceasing slaughter and would finish processing operations "over the next two days."
The state of Iowa recently changed its policy on announcing COVID-19 outbreaks, stating that it would not publicly confirm outbreaks at meatpacking plants or other businesses unless it is asked by members of the media.
Source: Des Moines Register
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